Newcastle United v Everton: live 19.40 Time for the evening's first pertinent statistical tweet from our friends at Opta: 19.30 Tonight's retro highlights are brought to you by the year 1984: 19.16 Here are tonight's teams, and it's everyone's favourite Ameobi up front in Ba's position for Newcastle: Newcastle: Krul; Perch, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon; Tiote, Anita; Cisse, Marveaux, Obertan; Shola Ameobi. Subs: Elliot, Ferguson, Tavernier, Abeid, Bigirimana, Sammy Ameobi, Ranger Everton: Howard, Jagielka, Heitinga, Distin, Baines; Naismith, Neville, Osman, Pienaar; Fellaini; Jelavic. Subs: Mucha, Duffy, Oviedo, Hitzlsperger, Gueye, Vellios, Anichebe. Referee: Martin Atkinson. 19.00 Evening liveblog fans. There's a fairly persuasive argument for this being the least televisually appealing Premier League game taking place tonight. Chelsea will be systematically dismantling sorry QPR at Stamford Bridge while Liverpool, who are supported by a large number of people, play Sunderland at Anfield. But I'm a man of positive thoughts (it's my new year's resolution) and a fan of football's hidden gems. I'm also a fan of QPR and delighted that I don't have to watch our humilation and tell you about it as it's happening. Newcastle have said Ba-bye to Demba Ba, with the striker a matter of hours away from officialy joining Chelsea. He's out of the squad for tonight's game and Newcastle will likely shift Papiss Cisse into the vacated central striker role Ba vacated. Ba has scored half of Newcastle's Premier League goals to date this season so Everton are probably catching them at an excellent morale-sapped time. It also helps that home side have only won once in their last five. And that was against QPR. And, as we've established, they're rubbish. Everton are doing their normal thing of being pleasantly well-organised but coming up just short against the very best sides. Do Newcastle qualify as part of that category? Almost certainly not. Is beating Newcastle at home beyond Everton? Will it happen? You wouldn't have thought it to look at the scoreline, but there was enough about Newcastle in their 7-3 defeat against Arsenal to suggest to me that they're going to snap out of this disappointing run. I fancy them to sort it all out tonight, and for a Sky commentator to say "Who needs Demba Ba?" at least seven times. WARNING: I have been wrong before. Team news and other thrilling content to follow, stay tuned. P-p-p-pick up a preview: Tuesday, January 2, 2013 Newcastle United v Everton St James" Park Kick-off: 20.00 GMT TV: Live Sky Sports 1, Highlights BBC ONE Match of the Day Newcastle (Possible, 4-1-4-1): Krul; Perch, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon; Obertan, Tiote, Bigirimana; Cissé, Ba, Marveaux. Out: Simpson (broken toe), Ben Arfa, S Taylor (both hamstring), Cabaye (groin), Anita, Gosling (both ankle), Gutierrez, R Taylor, Vuckic (all knee). Everton (Possible, 4-4-1-1): Howard; Neville, Distin, Jagielka, Baines; Naismith, Osman, Hitzlsperger, Pienaar; Fellaini; Jelavic. Out: Coleman, Mirallas (both hamstring), Hibbert (calf), Gibson (thigh). Test: Neville (knee). Referee: Martin Atkinson (Matches 15, R1 Y19). Team news Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has suffered another defensive blow as he prepares for Wednesday night's tough Barclays Premier League clash with Everton. Pardew will welcome back central defender Mike Williamson from a one-game ban but will be without full-back Danny Simpson for up to four games after he broke a toe in Saturday's 7-3 defeat at Arsenal. Central defender Steven Taylor and midfielder Yohan Cabaye have returned to training but are still some way away from being available, while full-back Ryan Taylor and midfielders Vurnon Anita , Hatem Ben Arfa and Jonas Gutierrez, Dan Gosling and Haris Vuckic are still out. Meanwhile, midfielder Marouane Fellaini returns from a three-match suspension for Everton's trip to Newcastle. His comeback will offset the loss of Darron Gibson with a thigh strain for a month. Kevin Mirallas, Tony Hibbert and Seamus Coleman are all unlikely to feature but Phil Neville could return having been rested for yesterday's defeat by Chelsea. Match Notes Newcastle have conceded 11 goals in two games over Christmas, but it will not be the state of their defence which concerns supporters when Everton arrive on Tyneside. The biggest source of intrigue is whether Demba Ba will start given he is supposedly on the verge of joining Chelsea. Ba has scored 13 of his side's 26 goals in the Premier League and should be a Magpie legend in the making, but Geordies do not like players who openly flirt with rivals. Everton will be relishing the chance to capitalise on their hosts distractions, but sometimes teams find strength in adversity. Betting: Home 9-5, Away 7-5, Draw 5-2. Stat of the game: Everton have won just three of their 18 Premier League visits to St James" Park. Luke Edwards" prediction: Newcastle United 2 Everton 1.