The old refrain ‘We will not be moved’ has sounded even more defiant since Everton were plunged into the relegation zone by the biggest sporting sanction in Premier League history. It was a fitting soundtrack to Everton scrambling out at Goodison Park thanks to a thumping defeat to shocked Newcastle.
Eddie Howe’s side suffered their heaviest defeat of the season on a disastrous night for Kieran Trippier, but an affirmative one for Sean Dyche. Everton risked being punished for another wasteful home game, with Newcastle finally growing into the game as England international Dwight McNeil presented a decisive breakthrough in style. Trippier’s head was buried in his shirt seven minutes later when a similar mistake led to Abdoulaye Doucouré scoring Everton’s second.
After insisting his team just needed to add goals to otherwise strong home performances, Dyche was given the comfort of a third when Beto registered his first Premier League goal in stoppage time. No prizes for guessing the hapless Newcastle defender who just kept Everton’s summer signing out.
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“Kieran has been absolutely brilliant since signing for the football club, a big catalyst for what has happened,” the Newcastle manager said. “Collectively, we were not at our best tonight.”
Howe refused to use an extensive injury list as an excuse, although the visitors were lethargic and had few answers to Everton’s punishing final. Howe added: “Last year our away form was very good but we haven’t been on the road this season apart from Sheffield United. It’s hard to understand.”
Dyche denied before and after the match that getting out of the bottom three would be psychologically important for Everton. The crowd and perhaps his players might disagree. There was a determination and desire from the home side throughout. Their relentless pressure on Newcastle continued until the final seconds, with 38-year-old Ashley Young chasing his man into a corner.
There was also a heated exchange between the excellent James Tarkowski and Joelinton after the final whistle, with the coaching staff and Jordan Pickford becoming involved. “I have no idea what it was over,” Howe claimed. “I think it was just emotions running high after the game. We were definitely disappointed with our performance.”
The Park End was a sea of green at kick-off, and in the 10th minute, when Everton fans held up cards with the Premier League logo between the message ‘Protecting the few, not the many’, as part of the ongoing protests against the club. 10 points deduction for a financial violation. The home crowd were otherwise focused on pushing Dyche’s team to just a second home league win of the season, breaking only to boo Anthony Gordon every time he touched the ball on his return to Goodison.
Dyche was forced to change teams at lunch as James Garner fell ill. The Everton manager responded by moving Doucouré to central midfield and pushing Young to the right wing. At right-back, the formidable Seamus Coleman came in for his first appearance since undergoing surgery on a serious knee injury suffered at Leicester in May. The 35-year-old’s return means he has played for Everton for an impressive 15 consecutive seasons. In financial terms, Coleman’s transfer fee from Sligo Rovers of £60,000 now equates to £4,000 per season in Everton colours.
Coleman and Young were at the forefront of a brilliant start for Everton, which was only undermined by carelessness with the final pass and their usual profligacy in front of goal at Goodison this season. Dominic Calvert-Lewin missed a brilliant opportunity to reward Everton’s pressure shortly before the break. Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite both beat Newcastle defenders with Pickford’s free-kick. The latter’s touch fell to Calvert-Lewin, onside, unmarked and five yards in front of goal, but after neatly checking his chest he turned and fired a volley over.
Newcastle’s front three of Gordon, Alexander Isak and Miguel Almirón were often isolated and only came under threat when the former Everton man swapped wings with the Paraguayan international. It took 36 minutes for the visitors to create a real chance from open play. Isak should have done better when Trippier caught him at the back post with his first cross, rather than sending a header yards wide.
Howe’s team improved after the break, with Gordon missing two decent chances in quick succession. But then came the finale that Trippier would like to forget. With 11 minutes of normal time remaining, the right-back collected a pass from Jamaal Lascelles and tripped over the ball while trying to turn. McNeil jumped up in a flash. The winger seized possession and sprinted from deep in Newcastle’s half to the edge of the area, where he unleashed an unstoppable finish high into Martin Dubravka’s left corner.
Everton’s wild celebrations were silenced almost immediately as Almirón stormed to Branthwaite’s approval and raced flawlessly. It’s not the first time Newcastle have been foiled by Tarkowski’s flawless interception.
Things got worse for Trippier. The experienced defender made another mistake, conceding possession to Jack Harrison not once but twice. The on-loan winger shot to the left and although McNeil missed his low cross, Doucouré scored it convincingly.
Goodison cried at the addition of 10 minutes, but it gave Beto time to open his Premier League account. Sent clear down the right by Nathan Patterson, the summer signing held off Fabian Schär’s attention and beat Newcastle’s stand-in keeper with another clinical finish.
“We have a very authentic group of players,” Dyche said. “That doesn’t mean we’re brilliant, but it means we have a connected group of players who really care and I think the Toffees respect that.”