On a night where Newcastle faced off against Everton, Anthony Gordon missed a crucial penalty against his former club, highlighting a game filled with squandered opportunities. Despite Newcastle’s efforts, they failed to capitalize on a number of dangerous chances, ultimately leading to a disappointing draw. Newcastle’s attack was notably weakened by the absence of key forwards Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson. Their return after the international break is eagerly anticipated, as Newcastle struggled to find a clinical finisher in the box. Bruno Guimaraes came close with a sweetly struck volley in the ninth minute, only for it to be cleared off the line by Iliman Ndiaye. Newcastle’s inefficiency in front of goal continued as they missed one opportunity after another. From Jacob Murphy’s hesitation to shoot, Anthony Gordon’s cut-out pullback by Michael Keane, to Joelinton’s skied effort, the team’s frustrations mounted. Bruno Guimaraes later missed a clear shot by scooping the ball over the bar inside the box.
In the crucial moment, Anthony Gordon stepped up to take a penalty against Everton, having scored one recently against Ederson. However, Everton’s Ashley Young attempted to unsettle Gordon before the kick, which eventually resulted in a miss. As Anthony Gordon’s penalty was saved, it was Abdoulaye Doucoure who celebrated more wildly than anyone, reflecting Everton’s defensive triumph. It was an encapsulation of Newcastle’s wastefulness as Gordon missed another golden chance when played in by substitute Miguel Almiron.
Dan Burn said “It’s about taking that mentality that we have in all the home games and doing that away because that’s what the big teams do.”
Despite maintaining a more solid defense and earning a second clean sheet on the road since April, Burn acknowledged the match felt like a missed opportunity for Newcastle. A point away from home was not enough, given their ambition.
Referee Craig Pawson’s decision to play on after Dominic Calvert-Lewin kicked the back of Dan Burn’s leg was confirmed by a VAR check, leaving Everton manager Sean Dyche frustrated.
Sean Dyche said, “We don’t get one and everyone knows our record of not getting penalties. It’s trying to finish it. The ball is there to be finished and I don’t think the player can get the ball and he interrupts. Because I think everyone would say absolutely 100%… It was a penalty because you can’t do that in the box.”
Despite Everton’s low position in the league, optimism surrounded the team after securing their first win of the season just days after announcing the Friedkin Group’s purchase of the club. The draw at Goodison Park highlighted not only Newcastle’s shortcomings but also the potential resurgence for Everton.
