Friday, July 11, 2025
spot_img

Toffees climb out of drop zone

Date:

Share post:

spot_imgspot_img

London, Dec 8: Everton scored three times in the closing stages of a hectic encounter to beat Newcastle and move out of the Premier League’s relegation zone.
The Toffees were sent tumbling into the bottom three by their 10-point deduction for breaking the top flight’s financial rules, but moved back into safety thanks to late goals from Dwight McNeil, Abdoulaye Doucoure and summer signing Beto.
The hosts punished a pair of mistakes from Kieran Trippier, the first coming as McNeil pounced on a poor touch, drove forward and thumped a deflected effort into the net, before Doucoure coolly slotted home seven minutes later.Beto then ran clear during 10 minutes of stoppage time and slid home his first league goal to make sure of the points as the home supporters wildly celebrated a deserved victory.
Before the late flurry, the Blues looked to be heading for a miserable night in front of goal having spurned a number of good chances in the opening period.
The returning Dominic Calvert-Lewin was unable to convert the best of those, controlling Jarrad Branthwaite’s flick on onto his chest and volleying over from four yards out.Newcastle had openings in the first half too but Trippier’s free-kick and Miguel Almiron’s scuffed effort after darting through were both kept out by Jordan Pickford.In the second half the returning Anthony Gordon, who was jeered by the home supporters throughout the game following his January transfer to Newcastle, should have silenced the Goodison crowd when he picked off James Tarkowski’s loose touch on the edge of the area but only stuck a low shot straight at Pickford.Those three late goals mean the Toffees claw themselves out of the drop zone by leapfrogging Luton into 17th place, while Newcastle remain seventh behind Manchester United.
Everton would have moved into 10th place with this result had they not been sanctioned by the Premier League, which would have meant fans were dreaming of European qualification rather than worrying about a relegation battle.
The Toffees’ form at Goodison Park this season had been woeful before the Magpies’ arrival on Merseyside, with Sean Dyche’s men having won just one of their seven previous home league games.But they put that record right in emphatic fashion here.Calvert-Lewin was wasteful in front of goal in the first half, seeing a header and low shot saved by Martin Dubravka before a glorious chance was smashed high into the Park End.
But the hosts kept plugging away in a stop-start contest, hitting three goals late on to secure their fourth win in their past six games.
McNeil’s thumper and Doucoure’s calm finish brought much-needed joy to the home faithful, and the atmosphere had become raucous before Beto’s composed finish added gloss to a well-earned victory.There will be some concern for Seamus Coleman, though, as the Everton skipper hobbled off during the second half on the occasion of his first start since May. (Agencies)

spot_imgspot_img

Related articles

22 Maoists, including eight females, surrender in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, July 11: In a significant development in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district, 22 Maoists laid down their arms on...

BJP looting land, forest, water: Rahul Gandhi at ‘save Constitution’ rally in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, July 11: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday targeted the BJP, alleging that the ruling party has...

Centre plans Rs 1,345 crore subsidy scheme to boost production of Rare Earth magnets

New Delhi, July 11: The Indian government has drawn up a scheme to offer subsidies to the tune...

We missed no targets in Pak, not even a glass pane broken in India: NSA Doval on Op Sindoor

New Delhi, July 11: National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Friday addressed the convocation ceremony at IIT...