The Magpies travel to Goodison Park aiming to move into the top four of the division with a victory against Sean Dyche's side, who currently lie one point above the relegation zone in 16th place.

Howe, in line for his 300th Premier League game as a manager, will be keen to end the week in positive fashion after a commendable 1-1 draw against Manchester City in their previous English top-flight encounter before progressing into the Carabao Cup fourth round on Tuesday following a 1-0 win against AFC Wimbledon.

Here are some of the boss' main talking points from Friday morning's pre-match media briefing at the Newcastle United Media Centre:

On Isak's availability to face the Toffees:

"He won't make the game. We'll hope he will be back with Callum (Wilson) for the game (against Brighton) after the international beak.

"Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier and Fabian Schär should be okay. Martin Dúbravka took a nasty whack to the knee but it won't be serious."

On the past week: “It has been a good week. The Manchester City performance showed us what we are capable as a group of when we all play at our best.

"The Wimbledon game was going to be a difficult game but still an effective result and we're through. Everything rests now on this game.”

On Newcastle's final Premier League trip to Goodison Park:

“Whenever you go there, it is a difficult game. The ground has that feel, with the fans involved in the game right from the off and very close to the pitch.

"I think how you start the game and impose yourself on the opposition there is hugely important so we'll want to be really positive in our approach. We've got to learn lessons from the Fulham game in our last away performance."

On Anthony Gordon, who joined United from Everton in January 2023:

"Having been back there twice, this will be his third time and I think each time, it's been slightly easier for Anthony but, still, he'll be emotional.

"He's human and I think there'll be lot of things going through him as he plays the game. I thought he was excellent last week, leading the line for us really well on and off the ball.

"It was a really important performance but you need your vocal point in attack to deliver certain aspects that helps the team."

On playing home and away:

“The energy that the crowd give us (to press), the feeling of a player questioning whether he goes or he doesn’t, that instinct has served us so well at home.

"That's something we're well aware of and, tactically, it's about our delivery and how we implement our style in every game. It is different away from home. It is just being effective in whatever you do.”

On facing Sean Dyche and Everton:

“We look forward to every game because every game is so different. Sean and I have naturally had a lot of games against each other. He came in at Burnley when I left so we've always had that history together and many good battles over the years.

"He's someone who produces very difficult teams to play against and you never get an easy game against a Sean Dyche team. They're very organised, know their roles, what their jobs are and are highly effective."

On the one year anniversary of Newcastle's 4-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain, the Magpies' first UEFA Champions League fixture at St. James' Park since 2003:

“We will forever remember that game as the benchmark of what we want nights at St. James’ Park to look like. It was a great performance, goals against a high-class opposition and the atmosphere was on a totally different level. It was an amazing night.

"Now it remains a memory and you want that memory to, of course, live a long time, but we want to create new memories."