Hot on the heels of a deeply deeply frustrating loss to Manchester Utd, we
march stumble onwards into our next tangle with a United. On this occasion our old chums the Newcastle variety of United.
Where to start with our far North of England football outpost? A one club city of fanatics funded by a petro-state. The new home of our former protege turned Bete Noir Anthony Gordon. Geordie Arabia. Something about challenging equine relations. Fat blokes topless etc. Yeah, they're an easy bunch to mock.
Sadly on field we have to take the club rather more seriously. Strangely we go into the game above them in the table, albeit they have a game in hand. They've lashed cheddar on players and some of them are high quality and can hurt us. Gordon will be itching to do so. Tonali is a fabulous midfielder and has been in recent good form. I'm also fearful of Pickford's inner Mackem losing the plot against them again. Still shudder at the one game under Silva.
One can only hope their midweek champions league game against the mighty Qarabag takes its toll, which i suspect explains their league placing. Unless Everton rock up doing their best impression of Azerbaijan's finest.
That convieniently brings us back to Everton and the increasingly stubborn and frustrating
Moyes. I will be gobsmacked if he does anything other than set us up to grind out a result, be competitive and stay in the game. It's maddening as I think we all suspect there's quality in the squad that could be given more license to play. Fully expected centre halves at full back and exciting sexy young talent to be benched. Poor Barry craning his neck to flick the ball on to the conspicuous lack of runners.
A grating, irritating 0-0 is my prediction.
Into them, Everton. Hoof hoof etc.