Everton 1 Newcastle United 1: Toffees frustrated by dogged Magpies

Richarlison spared Everton further misery following their Merseyside derby defeat as they were held to a 1-1 Premier League draw by Newcastle United at Goodison Park.

Jordan Pickford’s late howler gifted Liverpool all three points on Sunday and he had to pick the ball out of his net again in the 19th minute on Wednesday as Salomon Rondon scored his third goal in four games.

The hosts did all of the pressing thereafter and, after seeing a spate of chances go begging, restored parity through Richarlison’s close-range 38th-minute strike.

Yet Everton failed to kick on from there and Newcastle, who have been in the headlines amid talk owner Mike Ashley is close to selling the club, held firm for a highly creditable point.

FULL-TIME: Everton 1 Newcastle United 1

The Magpies earn a point on the road at Goodison Park after a spirited display against the Toffees. Salomón Rondón opened the scoring, but Richarlison’s leveller meant the contest ended all-square. #NUFC pic.twitter.com/JeMHjTa6Hb

— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) December 5, 2018

Everton were punished for failing to capitalise on early dominance as Newcastle scored from their first attack.

Jacob Murphy delivered an excellent low cross from the left byline to the far post, which Rondon met first time with a brilliant finish into the top-left corner.

Martin Dubravka held a Lucas Digne tester at the other end and Rondon dragged wide on the counter, before Everton asserted their dominance and Federico Fernandez’s block denied Gylfi Sigurdsson with the goal at his mercy.

Dubravka turned behind from Richarlison but he was beaten by the Brazil international when Newcastle failed to deal with a corner and the former Watford forward rifled into the roof of the net.

Everton would have completed the turnaround on the stroke of half-time if not for Dubravka, who produced a stunning reaction save to prevent Cenk Tosun from converting Digne’s left-wing cross.

However, Silva’s men never carried the same level of threat after the interval and needed Pickford to somewhat atone for his derby day gaffe as he brilliantly denied Christian Atsu late on.

What does it mean? Toffees get stuck in final third

They were unfortunate to find Fernandez and Dubravka in fine form in the first half. However, as in the Merseyside derby, Everton lacked fluency and conviction in the final third for long periods. That will be of concern to Silva, whose counterpart Rafael Benitez has engineered a run of just one defeat in six games to take Newcastle four points clear of danger.

Fantastic Fernandez

A backline that was unable to contain West Ham last time out was much more solid this time, particularly in the second half. It would have been breached more often if not for Fernandez’s outstanding denial of Sigurdsson, which highlighted an assured display.

Dire day for DeAndre

Newcastle’s admirable defensive effort was often in spite of right-back DeAndre Yedlin, who struggled to handle the threat of Richarlison and the overlapping Digne and was booked in a display that saw him give away multiple free-kicks.

Key Opta Facts:

– Everton are unbeaten in their last eight midweek matches in the Premier League (W4 D4), since losing 0-3 at Sunderland in May 2016.
– Newcastle have not won a midweek Premier League match since December 2013 (5-1 versus Stoke), drawing nine and losing nine played on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday since.
– Everton posted a 76.3 per cent possession rate, their highest in a Premier League game since 2003-04.
– Newcastle’s Salomon Rondon has netted three goals in his last four Premier League appearances, as many as he managed in his previous 18 in the competition.
– Everton forward Richarlison has netted three goals in his last three home Premier League appearances, one more than he scored in his previous 22.

3 – Salomón Rondón has scored three goals in his last four Premier League appearances; the same tally of goals as in his previous 18 games in the competition. Magpie. pic.twitter.com/9DRe3gs4h5

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 5, 2018

hat’s next?

Everton welcome Watford to Goodison Park as Marco Silva takes on one of his former clubs. Newcastle have an important December with three successive games against teams around them in the table – Wolves, Huddersfield Town and Fulham.