Newcastle v Everton preview: (St James' Park, Sunday, KO 3pm)

Oct 7 2007 by Nick Smith, Liverpool Daily Post

YOU could forgive James McFadden for letting his mind occasionally wander back towards the Ukraine this weekend.

While the Premier League resumes with a slightly shorter journey east to Newcastle this afternoon, the scene of Thursday’s stirring UEFA Cup triumph could very much still be at the forefront of the Scot’s thoughts.

It was McFadden who set Everton on their way to the group stages with the crucial second goal which would have been enough to win the tie against Metalist Kharkiv on away goals before Victor Anichebe’s late clincher.

And McFadden will be back in the Ukraine again in a week’s time when he continues to spearhead the Scotland Euro 2008 qualifying campaign that he has lit up with a succession of spectacular strikes.

The latest provided a historic win over France in the Parc Des Princes, a stunning effort that was good enough to put Scotland on top of their group and their supporters on top of the world.

But he also knows he has to rein in the excitement currently surrounding the trip to St James’ Park, which in itself will be a fairly accurate barometer to measure Everton’s chances of seeing off more top-six suitors as the current campaign pans out.

Because if there’s one thing McFadden is learning from his excellent opening to the season, which has yielded six goals for club and country, it’s the importance of taking every chance that is afforded to him.

With record signing Yakubu joining previous holder of that title Andrew Johnson in the forward line at the start of the season, those opportunities initially seemed to be more limited than ever.

But after rescuing Everton’s UEFA Cup hopes, as well a point against Blackburn in the league to go with the double he netted at Sheffield Wednesday in the Carling Cup, McFadden is doing no harm to his chances of beating off his fellow forwards in the race for starting places.

“You’ve just got to make sure that you are ready to take your chance,” said McFadden.

“That’s why I’ve got to be thinking about Newcastle first before I start looking to Scotland.

“I’ve got a couple of big games with Scotland to look forward to and hopefully we can do it again when we go to Ukraine next week – but club football is where your business is supposed to be.

“My confidence is high at the moment and that’s mainly because I’ve been scoring goals but also because of my performances. Scoring goals give you the most confidence ever, as well as winning games. As long as the team are winning, I’m happy.

“That’s why any goal is special, no matter how important it is. A tap-in would be good enough for me. I’ve been playing up front as a centre forward and that’s where I like to be so if I can start getting goals, it will suit me and it will suit the manager and suit the team.

“There is always going to be competition but sometimes you get lucky and you get a goal. Maybe you haven’t been playing well and you nick a goal that keeps you in the team. Or maybe somebody gets injured and it gives you a chance.”

Even someone as modest as McFadden can’t escape the importance of his timely strike in Kharkiv, that made it 2-2 on the night and 3-3 on aggregate, but finally edged Everton ahead in the tie.

Although the European campaign is still in its infancy, with four group games now dotted in amongst the winter fixture schedule, it was the prospect of an early exit that would perhaps have had more immediate impact than the progress they eventually achieved.

The loss of momentum and impetus from another depressing knockout – which is what Everton were facing before McFadden struck – could have inflicted lasting long-term damage on the remainder of the campaign.

It’s why the significance of that vital equaliser isn’t lost on the scorer of it.

“Hopefully we will look back at that fantastic result as the pivotal moment of the season,” added McFadden.

“Now we can push on as we are riding high in the league. I thought we played very well last Sunday against Middlesbrough and now, with a bit of luck, we’ll see this as the defining moment.

“Everybody is just delighted. We went to win and we did that so it’s been a decent few weeks and hopefully it can continue.

“It’s a result that ranks right up there and a win like this can give us the belief to go on from here.

“In the first half, it looked as if we were going to do what we usually do – roll over and die. But we have fought back and got the win.

“We deserved it on overall play but on spirit and determination, we definitely deserved it.”

In terms of defining moments, although the Premier League is at far too early a stage to deal in such currency, there is still a quick buck or two to be had in the North East tomorrow.

Indeed, a Newcastle win will take them above their opponents with a game in hand. Nothing more than an early psychological blow in the jostling for top-six supremacy, but a good chance for both clubs to put down a marker nonetheless.

It’s why a return to Ukraine is now stored firmly at the back of McFadden’s mind for the next few days.

He added: “You have always got to be looking for the next results. That’s part and parcel of being a professional footballer and we are now looking at Newcastle.

“It is going to be a tough game as they are a good side. It’s always difficult going there.

“But we will be ready for it. We will prepare in the right way.”