Jordan Pickford makes miraculous save in stoppage time as Everton secure 3-2 away win over nauseating Newcastle, writes CRAIG HOPE

When Jacob Ramsey was sick on the pitch before the start of the second half, it was grimly symbolic of what had gone before and what was to follow for Newcastle – a nauseating performance regurgitated, just when they thought a cure had been found.

This was a third straight defeat in the Premier League at St James’ Park. Last time, against Brentford three weeks ago, there were home boos and a dressing-room inquest. Eddie Howe and his team responded with three wins on the road, leading to talk of a corner turned. Here, they stumbled back down a dark alley.

Just when it felt like a glimmer of light had appeared at the death, and with Sandro Tonali’s booming volley headed for the back of the Gallowgate End net in salvation of a point, Jordan Pickford somehow flicked the ball onto the crossbar. 

The home fans applauded in recognition of Tonali’s 20-yard blast, but the appreciation could easily have been for the save, had it not been the former Sunderland goalkeeper, pantomime villain turned Everton’s hero.

Pickford’s intervention preserved what was a deserved win for David Moyes’ side, who led in the 20th minute when Jarrad Branthwaite headed in from a corner. 

He was outstanding at the other end, too, making a strong case for starting at centre-back in front of Pickford at the World Cup this summer.

Jordan Pickford made an extraordinary save late in the game to deny Sandro Tonali

Ramsey levelled on 33 minutes but, 105 seconds later, Beto punished a Nick Pope spill for 2-1. There was another equaliser in the 82nd minute, Jacob Murphy’s volley taking a nick beyond Pickford, but again Newcastle proved allergic to parity. 

Anthony Gordon surrendered the ball in midfield seconds after the restart and substitute Thierno Barry slid in at the far post to convert from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s low centre. 

The substitute turned in with his buttock but it was Newcastle again making the proverbial backside of their defending. Leeds, Bournemouth, Brentford and now Everton have all scored three times on Tyneside in 2026.

‘We dominated the second half, scored and then self-imploded,’ said Howe. ‘It is a strange situation. We started the season so strong defensively. That has flipped on its head and it’s been building. 

‘Our resilience to keep the ball out of the net is not good enough. Too many individual errors are costing us goals. Our home form has tailed off and we need to grab that back as quickly as possible.’

Newcastle will now have to win all 10 remaining matches to equal last season’s points tally of 66, when they finished fifth. If they are to qualify for next season’s Champions League, then, they’ll have to do it by beating Barcelona in the last 16 and going all the way to the final in Budapest, scene of their only European trophy in 1969. 

Not that they looked like continental champions here. Their league form, five defeats in six, means they are justifiably closer to the bottom three than the top five.

This was an afternoon of many shortcomings, but the Nick Woltemade midfield experiment is surely reaching expiry. He started as a No.8 for the fifth straight game but after half an hour was moved back to No.9, where he did not fare any better. 

Low on confidence and short of the physicality to compete in the Premier League, the German is a conundrum who needs time on the training ground. The football ground is proving an unforgiving environment of late. 

He was substituted after 56 minutes and the numbers did not make for good reading. Of just 14 touches, none were in the penalty area. He also lost his three midfield duels, which prompted Howe’s first-half tactical change.

It was a deserved victory for Everton and the Magpies are now closer to the bottom three than the top five in the Premier League

Eddie Howe and Co look downcast after full time having lost another game at home 

Joelinton had started on the left wing to accommodate Woltemade in midfield and the Brazilian looked like a heavyweight in a ringside seat. 

He wanted to be the other side of the ropes and, as Everton ran through Newcastle’s midfield at will, it was clear his team needed him there.

Within three minutes of the reshuffle that saw Gordon moved to left wing and Joelinton shifted to the canvas in the middle, Newcastle were level when Tonali fizzed into Ramsey and his shot deflected off Branthwaite and in. 

The home celebrations had only just subsided when Dwight McNeil’s shot was fumbled by Pope and Beto pounced. Likewise, St James’ was still noisy in exultation of Murphy’s strike when Barry scored Everton’s winner.

Howe looked sick on full-time. He’s been fighting the same symptoms for too long.