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Everton (a) Premier League
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Date: Thursday 27th April 2023, 7.45pm Live on BT Sport Venue: Goodison Park Conditions: Incendiary Programme: £4 |
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Everton |
Newcastle |
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1 - 4 |
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| Half time: | 0 - 1 | |
| Score Sheet: | ||
(80) McNeil |
Wilson
(28) Joelinton (72) Wilson (75) Murphy (81) |
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Teams |
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Pickford |
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Pope Trippier Schar Botman Targett S.Longstaff Guimaraes Willock Almiron Wilson Joelinton |
| Substitutes: | ||
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(73) Maupay
for Onana (81) Simms for Calvert-Lewin (82) Garner for Gueye |
Burn
for Targett (68) Murphy for Almiron (68) Isak for S.Longstaff (74) Anderson for Willock (87) Gordon for Wilson (87) |
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| Subs not used: | ||
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Begovic Davies Coady Gray Mina Patterson |
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Dubravka Manquillo Lascelles Ritchie |
| Bookings: | ||
Onana Maupay |
Targett
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| Dismissals: | ||
| None |
None |
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Referee:
Andre Marriner - just the one
previous Toon outing this season for
the West Midlands official, the 1-2 PL reverse at Liverpool in
August. He remains reluctant to penalise opposition players for
ploughing into Newcastle players, operating on a 25% ratio (aka ignoring 3
of 4). |
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Attendance: 39,248. All 3,000 away section tickets were sold.
Along
with the familiar soundtrack, tonight's freshly-minted gems included:
While
the general antipathy between ourselves and Villa followers stems from the "Next
Messiah..." and Sob..." banners draped from the
Holte End on May 24th 2009, our own elevated loathing of Everton fans
stems from the same Sunday afternoon that Newcastle were relegated. |
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Goals |
28 mins The
opening goal began with a throw-in from Kieran Trippier down by
the travelling support that led to a multiple exchange of passes
between him and Sean Longstaff. The Magpies captain eventually
pumped the ball forward to Callum Wilson and he outwitted
James Tarkowski before laying off a short pass to Miggy Almiron.
He in turn sprayed the ball
out wide left to Matt Targett, who fed the advancing Joelinton
on the
touchline. The Brazilian cut inside and hit a strong
right-footed shot that
Jordan Pickford pushed away. The ball hit Tarkowski and
fell nicely for Wilson to stab it past Pickford from six yards. 1-0
Half time: Toffees 0 Magpies 1
72 mins:
Joe Willock gained possession down the Newcastle left and after
a combination of passes with Bruno Guimaraes and Dan Burn rinsed the
hapless Ben Godfrey and made it to the byline.
He then supplied a lovely
chipped pass from the byline to Joelinton, who stooped to add enough power
and head the ball down into the corner of the net, with
Pickford helpesss. 2-0
75 mins Bruno surged forward with the ball and as he fell under challenge from Idrissa Gueye, slid a pass towards Wilson on the edge of the 'D'. Callum Wilson took a touch and span before unleashing a perfect shot into the top corner beyond the outstretched arms(!) of Pickford. 3-0
80 mins Somehow Dwight McNeil's corner from the right eluded everyone at the near post, bounced in the six yard box and snuck inside the far post in front of Gwladys Street End. 3-1
81 mins Words cannot do justice to
the absolute wizardry of Alexander Isak's run down the left.
He cut back with his route to goal obstructed by three
defenders. With some sublime close control he beat all three and
dribbled along the byline before finding Jacob Murphy at the far
post who lashed it home from a yard out.
Because Isak's
cross deflected off James Tarkowski's elbow it wasn't recorded as an "assist"
by the Premier League and associated data analysts. How ridiculous. Everyone knew it was
one of the greatest assists the Premier League has ever seen.
4-1
Full time: Toffees 1 Magpies 4
We Said |
Eddie
Howe:
"We knew there would be an aerial challenge for us and I felt we dealt with that very well. In the second-half, we really put our foot to the floor and showed what we are capable of.
"It is great to see. Callum (Wilson)
was excellent today. The second goal was spectacular. It was great for Alex (Isak)
to come on and do well as well.
"It was always going to be a difficult game for us but we handled the occasion well in a hostile environment.
The first goal was going to be crucial. It was probably our best move and it came at a good time for us.
"I thought the first 45 minutes was a bit bitty from both teams and a
bit transitional for our liking but in the second half I thought you saw
us at our very best and we were really clinical again in front of
goal.
"I think confidence was there, it was evident in that second half
when maybe a bit of the edge of the game had gone but I think we had to
earn the right to get to that point because Everton put us under pressure
with a lot of long balls and crosses in our box and I think we defended
our goal really well in that first half.
"I think in any game you have to do the basics right, with goal-kicks, long free-kicks and crosses, I think we had to be perfect tonight because Everton would take advantage of us if we weren’t. Mentally I think we had to be really good and we learned from the game here last year which was very similar in terms of timing and conditions.
"I thought our first goal was our
best move of the first half with the switch of play, right to left,
Joelinton does really well and Callum is in the right place at the right
time and our best moment of quality in the match up to that point.
"It had the desired effect for us because it just knocked the crowd
slightly.”
About Champions League
qualification:
"It puts us in a lot stronger position. To get six points from
Tottenham and Everton is a great return. It was always going to be a
difficult game for us, but we handled the occasion well in a hostile
environment.
"The first goal was going to be crucial. It was probably our best
move and it came at a good time for us. The confidence was there and it
was evident in the second half. Maybe a bit of the edge of the game had
gone, but I think we had to earn the right to get to that point because
Everton put us under pressure in the first half.
"We know nothing is taken for granted from our perspective."
"We know nothing is taken for granted from our perspective. It puts us in a lot stronger position. To get six points from Tottenham and Everton is a great return."
On Callum
Wilson:
"His performance today was second
to none, it really was. I think mentally, he knew it was difficult and he’s
got to take his opportunity when it comes. Two goals, two very different
goals, but two special goals for us so I think he’s in a good
place."
On Anthony Gordon's first Goodison return:
"I’m guessing it was
difficult for him. I had a chat with him at length yesterday and he was
confident he’d be able to handle the environment after speaking to him.
"I think it was a good time to bring him on, to almost get it out of the way for him really, it’s played, it’s done. At that stage the game was pretty much over but I think mentally it was a really good thing for him to deal with mentally and hopefully he’ll move on now and focus on his career for us.
On Alexander
Isak and comparisons with Thierry Henry:
"Yes,
I can see the comparisons there. Everyone is different, there are no two
players that are the same, but I do think he has some of the
characteristics Thierry had.
"He's certainly got the speed and a similar build and frame. The footwork for the assist was truly remarkable really, and I think he's got a lot of potential to improve and get better.
"We've been very impressed with
everything that he's delivered to this point; not just technically on the
pitch, but his character and how he's handled certain situations. He's
been first class."
On his run for the fourth:
"I couldn't really see what was happening! I have seen it back on the telly and the amount of turns and twists and
step overs he did, an incredible piece of skill. He has incredible ball manipulation."
They Said |
Sean Dyche growled:
"We took the game on and I thought in the first half we had been as
strong as we have been. We went under too easily after the second
goal. You can't against good sides like Newcastle.
"I thought it was a very strong first-half performance. We kept them
to not many chances but they are a good outfit and they kept going
and got a second goal and the reaction to that was not good enough.
"We are not finding the big moments in the final third. It is still
a work in progress. Wilson whacks one in the corner, no thought,
they are just playing with freedom and we need to find that freedom.
Newcastle are free-rolling. They're flying.
"We have to park this one quickly and clear our minds going into the
next one."
Asked about the post-match dressing room inquest:
Journalist Joe Thomas writing in the Liverpool Echo
(abridged version):
"The blue smoke. The chants. The fireworks. The siren. The wall of noise that started in the Gwladys Street and reverberated around the ground for the first half an hour, an assault on the senses that rivalled anything seen by The Grand Old Lady amid the painful despair of Everton’s lowest moments last season.
"The hopes. The dreams. The passion. The desire. All of a fanbase desperate for better. None of it was enough.
Everton’s twelfth man will do everything possible to pull this great club from catastrophe. But its fate rests in the hands of a squad that lacks belief, quality and resilience."This second half capitulation at home to Newcastle United was so embarrassingly dreadful that it rivalled some of the collapses already seen by this group of players during this wretched season. It might be the most damaging.
"Should Everton go down this could be the last Premier League game under the lights at Goodison. That it ended with the away fans in full voice shows the depths sunk to by a struggling side barely befitting of its grand surroundings.
"There are five games to go. Everton are not relegated yet. But the fans cannot do this alone."
Stats |
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2022/23 Won 4-1 Wilson 2, Joelinton, Murphy Game number fourteen for Sean Dyche as an opposition manager against United in all competitions, but the first when not Burnley boss. He's now won just twice and lost each of the last six games. |
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Waffle |
Newcastle followed up their six-goal Spurs romp with four more on the road at Goodison Park
on Thursday, as their Champions League dream moved another
step closer to becoming reality.
Sunday's
scorers continued where they left off; two goals for Callum Wilson and one each for
Joelinton and Jacob Murphy as Everton's diminishing hopes of improving their precarious league
position were demolished.
However, Alexander Isak's part in his side's fourth goal was the talk of the
Toon - the substitute failing to increase his goal tally after
coming off the bench, but making a mesmerising run for an
otherworldly assist.
Gaining possession on halfway, he embarked on a solo surge down the
left, gliding past a posse of Toffees before dancing along the byline
and finding Murphy: his simple finish made possible by the extraordinary build-up; underlined by the adulation afforded to the
assistee by his team mates.
That was the icing on another delicious cake served up for the travelling fans as they
soaked up an eighth away league win, gleefully taunting the
downcast Toffees - or what remained of them.
Unlike Spurs on Sunday though, Eddie Howe's side had to dig deep
during an uncomfortable opening half to contain an Everton side
who were backed fervently inside out and outside the ground - their
collective mindset seemingly that this was the last chance of
avoiding the drop.
As was the case against Spurs, it was Joelinton who made the opening, cutting in from the left
and testing Jordan Pickford - whose block fell to Wilson and was
promptly dispatched into the Gwladys Street goal.
This time
the breakthrough took 28 minutes rather than 61 seconds, but the
hosts continued to press in an unscientific manner and the
visiting back line were busy - underlined by the moment when Sven Botman unceremoniously
cleared one ball into the top tier of the Main Stand.
Only a marginal offside flag prevented an equaliser in
first half added time; Dominic Calvert-Lewin running through and clipping the ball over Nick Pope.
A VAR check of that decision revealed how tight the call was;
the Toffee was just inches ahead of Botman. If these things do even out
over a season, then this was recompense for Isak's disallowed effort
on the other side of Stanley Park.
A starting selection showing three alterations (Matt Targett for the
unwell Burn,
Almiron for Murphy and Wilson for Isak) lined up unchanged for the
second period and gave a more measured display: Everton's attempts
at retaining possession steadily diminishing as a consequence.
Needing a second goal to further dampen the enthusiasm of home fans,
Joe Willock came close in the opening seconds but it took until the
70th minute for a genuine opportunity to double our advantage.
That saw Willock collect a clearance just outside the box and ping a
volley towards the top right hand corner of the net that Pickford
did well to palm away.
Almost immediately though, Willock pre-empted Isak's run with one of his own,
dinking the ball to Joelinton who did well to steer a header into the far
corner,
Three minutes later it was game over when Wilson took a Bruno Guimaraes pass and from outside the box curled a beauty into the top corner for his second and United's third.
The cheers of the away section were almost drowned out by the thump
of upturned seats.
Isak had a shot saved and Fabian Schar went close with a header before
Everton's Dwight McNeil scored direct from a corner to barely a
murmur.
Just over a minute later though Isak produced his moment of magic; his cross
deflecting to Murphy who couldn't miss from a yard out - cue yet
another seething mass of celebration in one corner of the Bullens.
Murphy could have made it five after another fast flowing move saw him side-foot narrowly wide and Schar
unluckily had a fine shot ruled out for an offside against Burn earlier in the move.
There
was still time for Anthony Gordon to arrive for a late cameo against his old club but his reception was far from
hostile given the dwindling number of his former fans still present;
his appearance sending yet more of them to the exits.
All smiles in one corner of the ground and in the away dressing
room, but a creeping dread in the blue half of
Merseyside that what would be their first relegation since 1951 is
about to become a reality.
Coupled with the construction of a new ground two
miles away (set to open in 2024), this victory increases the chances
that we'll never set foot in Goodison Park again, at least not in
the league.
Biffa