Newcastle United played in a match that will be remembered for many years as they came from behind to defeat Everton 3-2.
Newcastle United fought their way back into the match against Everton after being down 2-0 at halftime. Goals from Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez enabled Newcastle to complete their 3-2 comeback at St. James’ Park. It was a tale of two halves for the Magpies, but they deserved all three points at the end of the day.
There was plenty of drama and many missed opportunities from both teams that could have altered the outcome. Here are some of the key observations we made while watching this five goal thriller on Tyneside.
Offensive Chemistry
Newcastle looked good offensively and they never took their foot off the pedal as they managed to create an impressive 19 shot attempts. The chemistry between Miguel Almiron, Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez is wonderful to watch. Their partnership in attack caused problems for Everton all afternoon, especially in the second half.
The arrival of Almiron has altered the mentality of Newcastle’s attacking players. Decisiveness and selfishness were problems for the Magpies all season, but that is no longer the case. Both Rondon and Perez assisted each other in addition to scoring goals.
Inconsistent Defending
Newcastle’s defense has been praised all season long, and rightfully so, but they were not compact against Everton. The visitors enjoyed plenty of space and freedom to dribble down the flanks, and Newcastle’s marking was horrendous when they conceded both goals. The back-line must be more alert and aware of their surroundings as they close out the season. Bournemouth have multiple players who can score in different ways, so being alert in the back will be key to success next weekend.
Keep Looking for Almiron
Newcastle fans are still waiting for Almiron to score his first goal with Newcastle, but he is doing everything else right. Everton did not have an answer for Almiron, especially when he took off with the ball down the wings. Ki Sung-yueng and Isaac Hayden did well to find Almiron on the wing multiple times yesterday and they must continue this trend next weekend against Bournemouth. The more involved Almiron is in the attack, the more probable Newcastle are to score.