Ritchie – who suffered an ankle injury during United’s Carabao Cup defeat to Leicester City in August 2019 – started the FA Cup third round replay win over Rochdale a week ago and, after making a substitute appearance in Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea, will line up on Merseyside as Steve Bruce’s side look to make it back-to-back league wins.

The wing-back’s inclusion is one of four changes made by head coach Bruce, who has elected to hand a start to Christian Atsu – who spent the 2014/15 season on loan at Everton – with Allan Saint-Maximin not involved. Both Longstaff brothers, Sean and Matty, also start in place of Emil Krafth and Jonjo Shelvey.

Martin Dúbravka continues in goal, with Isaac Hayden at right wing-back and Federico Fernández, Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark in central defence. Ritchie, meanwhile, replaces the injured Jetro Willems on the left.

The Longstaff brothers will resume their partnership in the middle of the park against the Toffees, while Atsu will provide support for Joelinton and Miguel Almirón in attack.

Youngster Tom Allan – who made his first team debut against Rochdale at St. James’ Park – is named on the bench.

And there is also a place among the substitutes for full back Liam Gibson, who recently returned from a successful loan spell at Grimsby Town and was last named on the bench for a Premier League game almost four years ago.

There is experience in reserve, too, in the form of Krafth, Fabian Schär, Florian Lejeune and Shelvey, while Karl Darlow provides backup for Dúbravka.

Newcastle United: Martin Dúbravka; Isaac Hayden, Federico Fernández, Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark, Matt Ritchie; Sean Longstaff, Matty Longstaff; Christian Atsu, Joelinton, Miguel Almirón.

Substitutes: Karl Darlow, Emil Krafth, Florian Lejeune, Liam Gibson, Jonjo Shelvey, Tom Allan.