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An exhibition and a result to build on for Newcastle, a perfectly timed release for Steve Bruce. Criticism has been piling up and showing on the Newcastle manager, but a complete road performance, capped by two goals from prominent Callum Wilson, brought a well-deserved win over Everton at Goodison Park.
Wilson scored his 50th and 51st career Premier League goals to give the visitors their first win in any competition since December 12 and put Carlo Ancelotti’s hopes of a top-four challenge in perspective.
Everton was toothless and lethargic, Wilson incisive and relentless, and the well-trained, well-organized and committed visitors thrived throughout.
Newcastle’s positivity ensured that the game contradicted all pre-match expectations. The specter of a relegation fight and another change of direction had increased at St James’ Park after 11 games without a win in all competitions, while for Everton this was an invitation to improve their Champions League prospects. It was not like that for either side.
The visitors, coached for the first time by former Everton and Belgium assistant Graeme Jones, brought the game to their hosts early on rather than waiting to go on a counter attack. With Isaac Hayden at the base of a midfield diamond, Miguel Almiron wandering with dangerous spin on the lead and Wilson a potent threat, Newcastle had a solidity that underpinned their clear intention. Everton opened brilliantly, sprinkling the visitors’ penalty area with inviting centers from the left, but found it increasingly difficult to open up Bruce’s defense or supply Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Newcastle’s seemingly deliberate attack on James Rodriguez contributed to that frustration for Everton.
Rodríguez created the first opportunity of the match with a magnificent cross that Yerry Mina headed wide under pressure from Karl Darlow in the visitor’s goal. The Colombian internationals came together again when Rodríguez’s free kick found the defender unmarked inside the area but, distracted by a light touch from Fabián Schär, Mina headed high over the crossbar from close range. For the rest, Rodríguez, the former Real Madrid playmaker, spent most of the first half caring for his ankles after Jonjo Shelvey, Hayden and Jamal Lewis left their mark on him.
Not that Newcastle was purely in disruptive mode. Ryan Fraser, Almiron and Wilson combined to good effect throughout and required an excellent save from Jordan Pickford to prevent the forward from opening the scoring. Wilson met Fraser’s corner with a powerful header at the near post, but Pickford, who retained his place after a costly mistake against Leicester midweek, showed excellent reactions and athleticism to bring the effort to the bar and more. . Shelvey also approached with a low drive that deflected inches from Mina before launching a high and wide free kick from the edge of Everton’s penalty area.
Calvert-Lewin was once again an isolated figure in the Everton attack, receiving little support or services, although he created the locals’ best opportunity in the first half with a shameless dive to Rodríguez after collecting a long ball from Michael Keane outside the defending. Darlow lived up to Rodriguez’s first shot.
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Wilson squandered a glorious opportunity to end the stalemate when Newcastle hit Everton at halftime early in the second half. The forward was completely unmarked when Almirón released Fraser down the right but, despite the Scottish international crossing perfectly to center, Wilson swerved with only Pickford to win. However, he made peace in good style when Everton ignored the warning of the previous head opportunity. This time Shelvey took the corner from the right. Wilson exploited the space at Everton’s zone mark at the near post once more and ran a textbook header through the goal and into Pickford’s far corner.
It was only Newcastle’s third goal in their last 10 games, but their precious victory should have come more comfortably when Almiron released Wilson behind a squared Everton defense with three minutes to go. Wilson circled the advancing Pickford only to cut the outside of a post from a tight angle. Comfort finally came in injury time, however, when Allan Saint-Maximin released Lewis at half-time and the Northern Ireland left-back crossed for an unmarked Wilson to beat Pickford with a convincing finish. It wasn’t more than Wilson or Newcastle deserved.
