Anichebe stakes claim

Teenage striker Victor Anichebe has staked a claim for a place in Everton’s starting line-up at Newcastle on Sunday, following his match-winning performance against Metalist Kharkiv in the UEFA Cup.

Fellow striker Andrew Johnson, who failed a fitness test in the Ukraine on his injured groin, would still be considered a doubt for the trip to the north-east.

Anichebe came on for the unimpressive Ayegbeni Yakubu to score the clinching goal that sent Everton into the UEFA Cup group stages for the first time.

Everton provisional squad: Howard, Hibbert, Stubbs, Lescott, Yobo, Baines, Valente, Arteta, Osman, Neville, Carsley, Pienaar, Anichebe, Yakubu, Johnson, McFadden, Jagielka, Wessels.