There is, of course, very little riding on Everton’s meeting with Newcastle United at Murrayfield this afternoon.
It is pre-season, after all.
The two sides meet in Edinburgh at 5:15 pm, with both clubs using the game as another opportunity to build fitness and fine-tune preparations ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
But while the result will quickly be forgotten, the fixture itself has a rather more substantial history.
Everton and Newcastle have been facing each other competitively for well over a century, with the first recorded league meeting coming in September 1898.
Since then, the fixture has taken place in the old First Division, the Premier League and domestic cup competitions, producing plenty of memorable games, goals and occasionally extraordinary scorelines.
Everton vs Newcastle – league record
Looking specifically at league meetings, the two clubs have been remarkably evenly matched over the years.
| Everton vs Newcastle | Record |
|---|
| Matches played | 189 |
| Everton wins | 79 |
| Draws | 38 |
| Newcastle wins | 72 |
| Everton win percentage | 41.8% |
| Draw percentage | 20.1% |
| Newcastle win percentage | 38.1% |
The exact historical totals vary slightly between statistical databases depending on how early fixtures and competitions are classified, but there is no question that this has been one of English football’s enduring fixtures.
And it has certainly produced some big results.
Newcastle have recorded some emphatic victories over Everton, while the Blues have also enjoyed several memorable wins – including the 7-3 victory at Goodison Park in December 1933.
More recently, the fixture has continued to produce drama.
Newcastle won 4-1 at Everton in November 2025, before the Blues produced an excellent response by winning 3-2 at St James’ Park in February 2026.
That makes today’s meeting an interesting one even if nobody should be getting too carried away with the result.
Murrayfield will provide an unusual setting for another chapter in a fixture that stretches back to the 19th century.
The points can wait.
For now, this is simply another chance for Everton and Newcastle to add to a rather long history.
