Everton scored three goals in the closing 11 minutes to beat Newcastle 3-0 at Goodison Park on Thursday, lifting them out of the Premier League relegation zone despite a 10-point deduction.
Dwight McNeil, Abdoulaye Doucoure, and Beto scored as Everton maintained their outstanding form despite being hit with the Premier League’s harshest sports sentence in history for financial rule violations.
Newcastle were forced to pay for two uncharacteristic errors by England star Kieran Trippier in the final moments, as weariness affected the injury-ravaged Magpies.
McNeil pounced 11 minutes from time to smash into the top corner before Doucoure completed Everton’s sixth win in seven outings.
In stoppage time, substitute Beto scored his first Premier League goal.
Everton move one point clear of the bottom three, and if not for the points penalty, they would be in the top half.
“This season, apart from the obvious with the 10 points, we’ve been in terrific form,” Everton manager Sean Dyche remarked.
The Everton fans were enraged by the perceived injustice of the severity of the points punishment, and for once, a loud environment was rewarded at Goodison Park.
Everton’s only two home Premier League wins since March had both come against Bournemouth.
“We’ve got some talent but you’ve got to give everything and there is that connection with the fans because they are seeing a group of people giving everything.”
Newcastle’s away day woes
This season, Newcastle has beaten PSG, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United at home.
However, Eddie Howe’s team have only won once away from home all season in the Premier League.
Newcastle is in eighth, four points behind the top four.
Trippier has played practically every minute of their Premier League and Champions League campaigns so far because to an injury crisis.
However, Howe stated his team must allow exhaustion to become an excuse with a heavy calendar still to come before the end of the year.
Newcastle face AC Milan in a do-or-die Champions League tie next week to reach the last 16 and meet Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the League Cup, on top of their Premier League commitments in the busy festive period.
“We can’t look at it that way because we have more games to go,” Howe added.
“It’s a combination of a number of things. When you don’t do well, you must accept responsibility for it because it is the only way to improve. There is certainly much to ponder.”
Everton’s fortunes might have improved much more if they had consistently failed to capitalise on their opportunities at Goodison Park.
Dyche was forced to lament his team’s inability to score after a strong first half performance went unrewarded.
After Newcastle failed to clear a free-kick into the box, Dominic Calvert-Lewin inexplicably fired over with the goal open from close range.
When unmarked at the back post, Alexander Isak headed the finest of Newcastle’s chances wide in the first half.
Anthony Gordon was greeted coldly upon his return to Goodison Park, but even the in-form winger was wasteful in front of goal.
Gordon blasted straight at Jordan Pickford after robbing James Tarkowski on the edge of the box, and he then failed to maintain his calm after firing wide from Isak’s through pass.
However, Trippier’s blunders cost the game in the latter moments.
McNeil surged forward and smashed a brilliant strike past stand-in goalkeeper Martin Dubravka after the right-back coughed up control.
Trippier was at fault again moments later, this time handing up possession to Jack Harrison.
McNeil was unable to make contact with Harrison’s cross, but the ball dropped to Doucoure, who slotted home.
Beto capped off a perfect night for Everton late on, showing impressive strength and finishing coolly through Dubravka’s legs for his first goal at Goodison.