Nigerian midfielder Alex Iwobi will hope to return to Everton’s starting line-up when they host Newcastle United in a Premier League game at Goodison Park on Thursday, as he bids to score his 15th Premier League goal for the Toffees, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The 25-year-old was an unused substitute in the Toffees last two league defeats to Tottenham Hotspurs and Wolverhampton Wanderers but is expected to make his 172nd EPL appearance against Eddie Howe’s side.
He will also look to make his 20th assist in the EPL in the encounter.
The Super Eagles midfielder has scored 14 goals with 19 assists since he made his debut in the topflight division with Arsenal in 2015, when he replaced Mesut Ozil in the 89th minute of the Gunners 2-1 win at Swansea.
Iwobi hasn’t scored in the English Premier League in the last three months.
He last scored a league goal – his only strike in the EPL this season against Wolves as they slumped to a 2-1 loss at the Molineux stadium on November 1, 2021, averaging 0.08 goals per game.
Since his debut, the Nigerian has been on the winning side 77 times while he has ended up on the losing side in 59 games.
So far this season, Iwobi has made 16 league appearances, scoring once.
Meanwhile, Frank Lampard says his players self-belief will be crucial to earning a victory against Newcastle United.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference at Finch Farm on Wednesday, Lampard said, “We need results and that will change the face of everything.
“The biggest thing is to absolutely stay with a belief we can do that. I’m not asking for casual belief, I’m talking about a proactive belief.
“For us, it’s not about having fear about what might be – it’s what we can do and what we can deal with.
“We can deal with these 12 Premier League games in front of us.
“Things can change very quickly. It can change on a not-so-good performance that gets you three points and that feeling of a boost.
“Our focus has to be on what we can do with these 12 games to get us where we want to be.”
A win against Newcastle takes the Toffees three points clear of 18th-placed Watford, with two games in hand.
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