Everton 3-0 Newcastle (McNeil 79′, Doucoure 86′, Beto 90+6′)
GOODISON PARK — They fought the law and the law lost. Well, for one euphoric night on Merseyside at least.
Elated Everton fans did not know who to taunt as they closed in on their second home league win of the season, one that takes them out of Premier League relegation zone, even with their 10-point deduction.
Upon the final whistle, Anthony Gordon and the Premier League powers that be were asked, more politely than on other occasions at a crisp, bubbling Goodison Park, what the score was. Neither felt the need to reply.
Their relegation rivals’ worst fears could well ring true. Merseysiders are no stranger to being trampled on by figures of authority. In fact, they revel in sticking two fingers up to the establishment.
As their game-clinching third hit the back of the net, Evertonians rejoiced in the face of adversity. Rather than hinder their progress, the unprecedented punishment may well ignite their campaign after all.
The match was a landmark occasion for 35-year-old Seamus Coleman. The veteran full-back’s first appearance this season takes him to outright second in the all-time Premier League Toffees list, only one behind leader Tim Howard. That is 15 successive campaigns in the top flight, at a yearly amortisation value of £4000, less that a modern day annual electricity bill.
Coming into the match, Everton had won just two of their last 12 at Goodison Park – both of those victories coming against Bournemouth – while Newcastle had one success in their last eight on the road. A draw very much appeared on the cards.
On their second chance to make their feelings crystal clear after their landmark punishment, Everton again produced professionally-made protest cards, green in colour this time, emblazoned with the phrase “protecting the few, not the many.” Very Jeremy Corbyn.
All eyes were on the in-form Gordon on his return, his second visit following his acrimonious exit from the stricken Toffees last season, but the hosts kept the pantomime villain quiet in a first half they had the better of.
In a mirror-image of their first-half performance last weekend against Manchester United, Everton should have gone into the break in front. Dwight McNeil dragged one effort just wide on the half-hour mark, with options to his right, before Dominic Calvert-Lewin had two presentable openings saved by Martin Dubravka, standing in for the latest attendee to the Newcastle treatment room, goalkeeper Nick Pope.
The chance of the half fell to the returning Calvert-Lewin who, somehow, blazed over from within the six-yard box – no mean feat – just before the break.
Just like last week, Everton dropped off after the interval. The only difference was this Newcastle team, who have had to play virtually the same starting XI for weeks now in all competitions, didn’t have the energy reserves to capitalise on the space afforded to them.
Gordon’s big moment intensify the suffering of those Evertonians so vitriolic in his direction upon his Merseyside departure came in the 62nd minute as his former team-mates seemed willing to give him his moment of vengeance, only to fire straight at Jordan Pickford.
Three minutes later, he should have done better on the end of a sumptuous Alexander Isak pass, before McNeil, a much-improved figure this season, rifled home after a mistake from Kieran Tripper to lift the roof off the Gwladys Street End.
Abdoulaye Doucoure is another man reborn under Sean Dyche. After he put the game to bed four minutes from time, the metronomic midfielder has now scored 10 goals in 30 appearances in the Premier League under Dyche. In his 69 previous appearances for Everton under predecessors Frank Lampard, Duncan Ferguson, Rafael Benítez and Carlo Ancelotti, he scored just four times.
Substitute Beto’s stoppage-time third capped the perfect night on the blue half of Merseyside. The match was a battle, but overcoming the odds, in these parts, makes victories all the more sweeter.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/ZGJbH5Y
Post a Comment