Dominic Calvert-Lewin ends goal drought to earn Everton a point at Newcastle

Posted Wednesday, April 03, 2024 by PA

Dominic Calvert-Lewin came off the bench to deny Newcastle victory but could not spare Everton an unwanted record of 13 Premier League games without victory.

The England international converted an 87th-minute penalty – his first goal since October – to cancel out Alexander Isak’s first-half opener and secure a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park as the Magpies were made to pay for missed chances.

Dan Burn had seen a second-half strike ruled out for offside after a VAR review and both sides were denied by the woodwork and ultimately neither got what they really needed.

🦋💙 pic.twitter.com/BNLaZXiuu0
— Everton (@Everton) April 2, 2024

Having lost Tino Livramento, Jamaal Lascelles and Miguel Almiron to injury and Anthony Gordon to suspension, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was forced to make changes.

Loan signing Lewis Hall was handed just a second league start as he, Emil Krafth, Elliot Anderson and Saturday’s match-winner Harvey Barnes were drafted in.

An Everton side bolstered by the inclusion of Vitaly Mykolenko, Idrissa Gueye, Ashley Young and Beto found itself under early pressure and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had to make a vital block from Barnes with less than two minutes gone.

Gueye smashed a left-foot shot over after Dwight McNeil had expertly controlled Pickford’s long ball and squared, and James Tarkowski powered a header just too high from a McNeil free-kick as the Toffees responded.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin ends goal drought to earn Everton a point at Newcastle — Dan Burn’s celebrations were cut short by a VAR check (Owen Humphreys/PA)

However, it was the Magpies who took the lead with 15 minutes gone when Barnes lifted the ball over the top for Isak, who cut inside Jarrad Branthwaite and evaded the covering Tarkowski before drilling a low shot past the helpless Pickford.

Jacob Murphy blasted a 28th-minute drive just over as the Everton defence retreated in front of him, but Beto sliced an attempt horribly wide and Abdoulaye Doucoure curled a 43rd-minute shot into Martin Dubravka’s waiting arms at the other end.

Pickford blocked Murphy’s volley with his legs after Hall had floated a cross beyond the far post and Isak blasted just too high in stoppage time as Newcastle headed in at the break in control but knowing there was work still to be done.

Tarkowski was relieved to see his attempted clearance from a Murphy corner come back off the frame of his own goal, and the Magpies thought they had extended their lead with 58 minutes gone when Isak turned Murphy’s quickly-taken free-kick across goal and Burn fired home, but a VAR check ruled that the Sweden international had been offside.

The visitors came desperately close to an equaliser with 66 minutes gone when substitute James Garner turned smartly and fired beyond Dubravka only to see his effort come back off the foot of a post.

Mykolenko headed Isak’s goal-bound shot off the line and Barnes blazed across the face of goal in quick succession and although Dubravka palmed away Young’s well-struck shot, Pickford had to save from Bruno Guimaraes seconds later.

However, the Toffees were handed a way back into the game with just three minutes remaining when referee Tony Harrington was advised to review substitute Paul Dummett’s clumsy challenge on Young and Calvert-Lewin duly obliged from the spot.