Sam Allardyce and Rafa Benitez lock horns when Everton and Newcastle meet on Monday Night Football.

Everton and Newcastle are separated by just one place and one point in the Premier League - both have 11 wins and 14 defeats - and are comfortably settled in mid-table.

The two teams last met in December where Everton won 1-0, which was the last time Newcastle lost to a non-big six team as their results of late have significantly improved.

Newcastle have won their last four Premier League games (all with same starting XI) and it's their best winning run in the league since November 2014.

0:38 Wayne Rooney says Allardyce has done the job asked of him after steering Everton clear of relegation

Team news

Everton midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson is back training outside for his rehabilitation sessions but will not be available for the game.

The Iceland international is still a few weeks away from recovering fully from a knee injury.

Defender Mason Holgate may also make a return from an ankle problem before the end of the season.

Christian Atsu remains sidelined with a minor knee problem while loan signing Islam Slimani is still awaiting his first start for the club after two appearances as a substitute.

1:23 Everton boss Sam Allardyce has criticised the club's decision to send a survey to fans asking them to rate his performance this season and joked he would give himself an 11 out of 10

Opta stats

Everton have won seven of their last eight league meetings with Newcastle (L1), including the last four in a row. They've not won five consecutively against the Magpies in the top flight since January 1920.

Newcastle have won just one of their last 13 Premier League trips to Goodison Park (D3 L9), winning 1-0 in September 2010 thanks to a Hatem Ben Arfa strike.

The Magpies have won 11 points from their last seven away Premier League games (W3 D2 L2) - more than they'd won across their previous 22 on the road in the competition (W2 D4 L16).

Wayne Rooney has scored 15 Premier League goals against Newcastle, more than he has vs any other opponent, and more than any other player has against the Magpies.

Ayoze Perez has scored in three consecutive English league games for the first time since November 2014 - he's never scored in four in a row before.

Live MNF

Merson's prediction

I'm going for Newcastle to beat Everton. Sam will think it [sending a survey to supporters to rate the boss] is a joke, it's embarrassing. He's a former England manager. If he didn't say what he said he's still the manager of England, now they're sending out surveys. I'd expect that when I was manager of Walsall, I wouldn't expect Sam Allardyce to get that treatment.

I think they did it last year, but that isn't the point. They have an England manager, someone who's been in the game a million years - it's disrespectful.

Sam won't be happy but he'll just bite his tongue. You don't want to go steaming in and resigning, especially when you could end up with four or five million...

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-2 (11-1 with Sky Bet)