Dominic Calvert-Lewin secured a crucial point for Everton in their relegation battle by converting a late penalty in a draw against Newcastle, who are vying for European qualification.
Alexander Isak put the hosts ahead in the 15th minute after receiving a precise pass from Harvey Barnes, evading Jarrad Branthwaite’s challenge, and calmly finishing past Jordan Pickford.
Dan Burn saw his goal disallowed for offside, and Isak had another scoring opportunity cleared off the line. However, the visitors were handed a late chance to equalize when Paul Dummett was deemed to have fouled Ashley Young, with the referee initially not awarding a penalty.
Following advice from the video assistant referee, the referee reviewed the incident on a pitchside monitor and subsequently awarded the penalty.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe had no complaints about the decision and said: “When you look at it back, it’s the height of Paul’s arm around Ashley’s neck that swings it.”
Meanwhile, Everton boss Sean Dyche wondered why the penalty was not awarded quicker.
“I don’t know why they had to look at it 100 times. I’ve seen it back and it should’ve been given straight away,” said Dyche, who hoped the goal would be a big confidence boost to Calvert-Lewin.
“I fancied Dom to score and I’m pleased he did. Sometimes it starts you off with a penalty and it changes the noise around him. He has been working hard and we’re asking a lot of him and Beto.”
Unwanted Everton record despite hard-earned point
Everton remains in 16th position in the Premier League but extends their lead over 18th-placed Luton Town to four points. Luton Town is scheduled to play at Arsenal on Wednesday.
Despite the draw, Everton set an unfortunate club record, as this marked their 13th consecutive Premier League match without a win. Their last league victory was a 2-0 win against Burnley on December 16th. This draw surpassed their previous 12-game winless streak in the Premier League, which occurred under Mike Walker’s management between August and October of 1994.
Newcastle maintains their eighth position in the league, trailing seventh-placed West Ham by a single point. West Ham drew 1-1 at home against Tottenham. Newcastle holds a game in hand over West Ham.
Depending on the outcome of the FA Cup, finishing seventh may be sufficient to secure a European qualification spot, which would offer Newcastle some solace amidst a challenging season. Last year, Newcastle experienced significant success, finishing fourth, qualifying for the Champions League, and reaching the Carabao Cup final.
Missed opportunity for Newcastle
Newcastle’s morale had soared following their remarkable comeback victory against West Ham on Saturday, rallying from a 3-1 deficit to win 4-3. They would perceive this result as a missed opportunity to sustain the positive momentum at St James’ Park.
The hosts came close to taking the lead within the first two minutes, but Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who faced vocal opposition from the home fans due to his previous tenure at Sunderland, made an impressive save to deflect Harvey Barnes’ attempt.
However, Pickford was unable to prevent Isak from scoring 13 minutes later, marking his 19th goal of the season for Newcastle in all competitions. The England goalkeeper then showcased his prowess with two outstanding saves, denying Jacob Murphy’s volley and tipping over a powerful effort from Isak.
Both teams had opportunities in a lively second half, with Everton’s substitute Joe Garner striking the post within six minutes of his introduction.
Newcastle believed they had secured a second goal when a quickly taken free-kick released Isak to set up Burn for a goal, only for it to be disallowed after a VAR review, with Isak narrowly offside.
Failing to capitalize on their chances proved costly as Dummett’s unnecessary foul presented Everton and Calvert-Lewin with the opportunity to equalize, which they seized, with Calvert-Lewin netting his first goal in 24 matches.
Since Everton’s victory over Burnley just before Christmas, Sean Dyche’s team has suffered league defeats against Tottenham, Manchester City (twice), Wolves, West Ham, Manchester United, and Bournemouth, and has drawn with Aston Villa, Fulham, Tottenham, Crystal Palace, Brighton, and now Newcastle.
Everton has experienced only one longer winless streak in the top-flight, a 14-game stretch from March to September in 1937. They will aim to avoid setting an unwanted record when they host Burnley on April 6th.