Everton vs Newcastle preview - Baines touch and go for Everton

Posted Saturday, March 14, 2015 by PA

Everton full-back Leighton Baines faces a late fitness test ahead of Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Newcastle at Goodison Park.

Baines has a groin problem but centre-back John Stones is expected to be available after missing Thursday's Europa League win over Dynamo Kiev due to a virus, and winger Aaron Lennon returns after being cup-tied.

Midfielder Gareth Barry misses out as he starts a two-match suspension, while Bryan Oviedo (hamstring), Tony Hibbert, Steven Pienaar and Aiden McGeady (all knee) remain sidelined.

Manager Roberto Martinez is setting no points target for his team but is looking for more performances like the last hour against Dynamo.

The Toffees have registered just 28 points from 28 fixtures so far in a poor Premier League campaign and sit six points above the relegation zone.

In the Europa League, meanwhile, they have impressed, although they began Thursday's last-16 first leg against Dynamo showing the same kind of uncertainty that has afflicted them in the Premier League this season.

The Ukrainians took a deserved lead at Goodison Park around the quarter-hour mark and the hosts initially struggled to respond.

But they went on to make a strong recovery, fashioning what ultimately proved to be another commendable European performance that saw them level in the 39th minute through Steven Naismith before sealing a 2-1 win thanks to Romelu Lukaku's 84th-minute penalty.

Martinez has spoken of Everton having "10 finals" ahead of them in the Premier League as they look to ensure their survival.

And when asked how many points he felt would be the minimum requirement for his side this term, the Spaniard said: "I think it would be wrong to set a points target.

"What we need to produce is a level of performance that will give us points.

"If you look at Thursday's game, the first 20 to 30 minutes - if we perform in that manner in the league, we are not going to get the points we want.

"But if we play in the way we did in the next 60 minutes, we are going to get many strong performances and many points.

"So that is the focus - how quickly in the league we can get performances that replicate that freedom, enjoyment, high tempo and bravery we showed in the last hour of the game."

Newcastle head coach John Carver will welcome midfielders Jack Colback and Remy Cabella back to the squad with his resources having been depleted further by injury and suspension.

Colback returns after serving a two-match ban as striker Papiss Cisse begins his enforced seven-game lay-off, while Cabella has shaken off a knee injury at the same time as Mehdi Abeid has succumbed to a thigh problem.

Abeid joins defender Steven Taylor (Achilles), Paul Dummett and Massadio Haidara (both knee), plus midfielders Cheick Tiote (also knee), Siem de Jong (collapsed lung) and Rolando Aarons (thigh) on the sidelines, although goalkeeper Rob Elliot (thigh) returns to a squad in which young defenders Lubomir Satka and Jamie Sterry and midfielder Olivier Kemen are also included.

Carver is backing B£million summer signing Emmanuel Riviere to come good as he attempts to fill Cisse's sizeable boots.

The Frenchman has scored only twice for the Magpies - both of them in a 3-2 Capital One Cup victory at Crystal Palace in September - and has come in for some criticism from disenchanted fans.

However, Carver said: "I will defend him, he's one of my players. The one thing about Manu Riviere is he works his socks off. He keeps getting on the end of things, he keeps getting in the right areas and I'm telling you, before time it will come off.

"Let's judge him at the end of the season or in six months' time. This is the first time he's had a real run in the team, let's not forget. He's not played for the 90 minutes, but he's had a right good go at it.

"He's got to convert the chances, I understand that, but let's judge him in the future. I do think it takes guys time.

"Players in the past have taken a bit longer. Yohan Cabaye took a bit longer, Yoan Gouffran - a lot of players took some time to adapt. Ask any Premier League manager and they'll say the same thing.

"It's a different demand. It's demands more than anything else."