Newcastle United vs Everton. Premier League.
St James' Park, NewcastleAttendance52,211.
Report and free highlights as Calvert-Lewin scores twice to give Everton win over Newcastle
Saturday 28 December 2019 20:38, UK
Everton's resurgence under Carlo Ancelotti continued as Dominic Calvert-Lewin's double gave them a 2-1 win over Newcastle at St James' Park.
Calvert-Lewin proved the difference on Boxing Day as his goal gave Ancelotti victory in his first game over Burnley, and the 22-year-old Yorkshireman broke the deadlock with an instinctive finish after 13 minutes.
Fabian Schar (56) responded for Steve Bruce's side, but Calvert-Lewin met Richarlison's low cross (64) to inflict only a second home league defeat on the hosts.
The result means Ancelotti becomes only the third Everton manager of the Premier League era to win his first two games in charge after Joe Royle and David Moyes, with the Toffees leapfrogging 11th-placed Newcastle into 10th with both on 25 points.
"I'm happy as it was a difficult game," Ancelotti said afterwards. "Newcastle pushed a lot and at one point they deserved the draw, but we came back into the game and the team is improving. They are trying to adapt and we are only at the beginning."
Newcastle made a fast start at Old Trafford on Boxing Day before they were soundly beaten, and they were quickest out of the blocks once more as Joelinton sent Miguel Almiron through on goal after just 40 seconds. The Paraguayan had the pace to beat Michael Keane, but the centre-back did just about enough to force him to poke his shot wide.
Bruce felt Almiron ought to have been awarded a penalty, saying: "They launched an attack on him two weeks ago for going over, [but] he's tried to stay on his feet and be genuine and he hasn't been rewarded.
"I thought the first one with Almiron was the critical one. If he goes down it's a penalty, but he stays on his feet and he makes the referee's decision easy."
Everton settled and were denied the opener when Martin Dubravka made a double save after 10 minutes, first to deny Mason Holgate from Richarlison's pull-back before Calvert-Lewin was unable to convert the rebound with the Slovakian back on his feet to smother his shot.
Keane then missed a glorious opportunity from the ensuing corner as he glanced a free header off his shoulder and over from close range, but Ancelotti's side would deservedly go in front just moments later.
Leighton Baines was brought down 25 yards out by Joelinton, and after Gylfi Sigurdsson's free kick was initially blocked, his scuffed rebound deflected into the path of Calvert-Lewin for a precise close-range finish.
It was only the eighth league goal Newcastle had conceded at St James' Park, but having allowed their opponents to have 71 per cent possession in the opening half-an-hour, they gradually began to assert themselves, and came close to levelling before the interval when Andy Carroll tapped home after an Almiron shot struck the foot of the post, only to be correctly flagged offside.
Everton emerged determined to reassert their authority in the second period and came close to doubling their lead when Moise Kean reacted quickest to a flick on by Calvert-Lewin to see his close-range shot smothered by Dubravka and that miss looked costly as Newcastle levelled six minutes later.
The hosts were awarded a soft free-kick after Theo Walcott tangled with Jetro Willems, and it was Willems whose set piece was knocked down by Carroll for Schar to blast beyond Jordan Pickford.
Carroll wrapped a shot straight at the England goalkeeper moments later as Bruce's side threatened to complete the turnaround, but after Ancelotti introduced Fabian Delph for Kean, Everton duly regained the lead.
Richarlison was subsequently moved into a free role and after the Brazilian was found down the right by Walcott, his low cross was tapped home at the far post by the in-form Calvert-Lewin.
Newcastle have developed a reputation for late goals at St James' Park, but Ancelotti skilfully set up his side to see out the final 20 minutes as Everton, four points off the top six, secured back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time this season.
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce: "There's a frustration when you feel you don't deserve to get beaten and we feel we've been done with the sucker-punch. Like I say, I don't feel we deserve to get beaten but that's the Premier League.
"We've always said that if Andy Carroll stays fit then he'll be a big asset for us. So it's good to see. We got our backsides kicked in at Manchester United but today we were punished a bit by a referee mistake, and the boys didn't deserve it. We will dust ourselves down and be ready to go again."
Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti: "The team was strong before I arrived and they are strong now. The first part of the game was really good but we need to be better throughout the game.
"We made changes and we had more control of possession. We needed a better balance and when Fabian came onto the pitch the possession was better.
"Dominic is doing really well and I feel Richarlison did a fantastic effort for the second goal. I'm happy for him and I hope he continues to score."
In total there were 42 shots in this match (20 for Newcastle, 22 for Everton), the third-highest tally in a single Premier League game this season (Aston Villa v Brighton 44, Norwich v Aston Villa 43) - and it was two from the rising star Dominic Calvert-Lewin that made all the difference.
It has been some Christmas for Calvert-Lewin, imitating a cannonball as he met Djibril Sidibe's cross to secure the three points over Burnley on Boxing Day and here he pounced for his second double of the month.
Calvert-Lewin is Everton's top Premier League goalscorer this season with eight goals - it's also the most the Englishman has ever scored in a single top-flight campaign. His five key passes were the most of any player in this match while he constantly provided an outlet as Newcastle desperately searched for an equaliser.
Speaking ahead of the trip to Tyneside, Ancelotti said he will not be asking the Everton hierarchy to sign a striker in the January transfer window.
The message was clear: there are certainly areas that need strengthening next month, but up front is not one of them. Here, they had nine shots on target - the most in an away league game this season. The last time the Toffees managed more on the road was at Swansea in 2011.
At five to five on Saturday afternoon as Ancelotti embraced the man in possession of the coveted Everton No 9 jersey and pointed to the hordes of travelling supporters high in the Sir John Hall Stand, the reasoning behind that sentiment had once more been made clear.
Calvert-Lewin has scored five goals in his last five Premier League appearances, as many as in his previous 28. The Italian also has Richarlison, while fellow attacking option Moise Kean came closest to breaking his duck in his best performance to date in an Everton shirt.
All of the sudden, the quality that was already present in the squad Ancelotti inherited is coming to the surface, but there's no mistaking that the new Everton manager showed why he is the esteemed tactician that has led to 20 major honours.
Newcastle were in the ascendancy when he introduced Delph, while Seamus Coleman and Yerry Mina brought quality and instantly knew their roles as the visitors reverted back to the same system that defeated Burnley for the final 20 minutes.
St James' Park had been made a fortress during an eight-game unbeaten run, but despite Bruce's claims they deserved something from this contest, only five of their 20 attempts were on target.
Newcastle host Leicester at St James' Park on New Year's Day; kick-off at 3pm. Everton travel to face Manchester City on the same day at 5.30pm.
