Rapid Responses Lead Blues To Another Away Win

Everton’s two lightning-quick responses helped continue their superb away form with a 3-2 victory over Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

The Blues twice picked themselves off the floor to make swift replies to equalisers from the hosts – Beto making it 2-1 just 105 seconds after Jacob Ramsey’s deflected effort, before substitute Thierno Barry bagged the second-half winner 74 seconds after Jacob Murphy had made it 2-2.

That drama had come following Jarrad Branthwaite’s 19^th-minute header from James Garner’s corner.

And there was more in the dying seconds when Jordan Pickford stunned St James’ Park with a jaw-dropping save – arguably one of his best in a lengthy catalogue for Everton – to tip Sandro Tonali’s  volley onto the crossbar.

The impressive win puts the Toffees right back in the hunt for European qualification and extends away form under David Moyes that has yielded seven victories on the road this term and 21 points from the past 30 available.

Moyes made four changes from the narrow defeat to Manchester United five days earlier – Jake O'Brien returning to right-back after serving a one-match suspension, Dwight McNeil getting the nod on the left wing ahead of Harrison Armstrong, Beto replacing Barry as the striker, and Vitalii Mykolenko starting at left-back.

The Ukranian's return saw Branthwaite switch to central defence – and the talented defender put Everton ahead on 19 minutes when he met James Garner's corner at the near post and flicked home via the other upright.

It was just reward for an excellent opening from the visitors, highlighted when Iliman Ndiaye fired over from 20 yards out following a neat one-two with compatriot Idrissa Gana Gueye.

Newcastle levelled just past the hour mark, however, Tonali passing inside to Ramsey whose shot from the edge of the area took a horrible deflection off Branthwaite to beat Pickford.

Despite that blow, Everton were back ahead on 34 minutes, McNeil trying to curl a 25-yard finish into the left-hand corner that Nick Pope spilled, allowing Beto to tap home from close range.

Going into the break ahead, the Portuguese striker should have made it 3-1 just beyond the hour mark, collecting possession on the left touchline to have a clean run at goal but, with just Pope to beat, he opted for power rather than finesse and saw his finish smash off the bar. As it stood, the effort may have been ruled out, anyway, for the ball going out of play before Beto set off on his run.

That looked costly when Newcastle levelled for a second time – another wicked deflection seeing Murphy's volley clip Gana to divert beyond Pickford.

But just as quickly as the home team had belief of finding a winner, they were silenced as that crucial third went to the Toffees. The impressive Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall making space for himself in the box and cutting back to substitute Barry, who bundled the ball over the line via his backside.

That sparked more jubilant scenes in the away end – and the travelling Evertonians were given full reason to belt out Pickford's song at the stadium where the boyhood Sunderland fan gets the most stick with what he was to call the best save of his career.

Four minutes into six of added time, Tonali looked to have made it 3-3 with a perfectly-struck volley from the edge of the area. Pickford had other ideas, however, with an acrobatic save to tip the ball onto the bar – and secure three points for Everton.