Newcastle United fell to a 1-0 defeat against Everton at St James' Park on a rain-soaked evening, with the home supporters making their displeasure clear. The first shot on target for the Magpies did not arrive until the 85th minute, and boos rang out at half-time and full-time as the team ended the match with 10 men.
Frustration grows as attacking play fails to materialise
With six minutes left, the Gallowgate End could be heard chanting "attack, attack, attack" as the rain lashed down on head coach Matthias Jaissle. The simple chant will have been lost on CEO David Hopkinson and sporting director Ross Wilson, but special club guest Alan Shearer would not have needed reminding of its significance, having heard it many times during the dark days of Kenny Dalglish and Ruud Gullit.
Having inherited a squad that struggled to a 12th place finish last term, it is not solely down to the German head coach, but boardroom dilly-dallying is starting to shine through now. Like those abysmal days in the late 1990s, the lack of attacking intent was there for all to see, with many fans pinning their hopes on 18-year-old Sean Steur.
Steur was sent on for the final half hour with Jaissle punching the palm of his own hand and pleading with the Dutchman to give it "bang, bang, bang." Steur's arrival on the field prompted the loudest cheer of the night, which says a lot about the current state of affairs on Tyneside.
Everton take the lead early in the second half
After the fireworks at the end of the Carabao Cup tie on Thursday night, which included an end-of-game brawl, it didn't take long for the tone to be set at St James' Park as Harvey Barnes clattered into Jake O'Brien inside the first minute. The Toffees registered the first effort at goal when O'Brien's cross fell for James Garner after a clearance, but he scuffed the ball wide of Lukas Hornicek's goal.
Newcastle had chances of their own in the first half, with William Osula latching on to Barnes' ball down the left on 11 minutes, but his effort from a tight angle was gathered, albeit awkwardly, by Jordan Pickford. Amar Dedic played the ball into Joelinton on 16 minutes, but his effort was deflected wide at the Leazes End, and from the resultant corner Dan Burn headed wide.
Everton won a dangerous free-kick right on the edge of the area on 32 minutes after Burn caught Thierno Barry on the edge of the box, but Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's free-kick was blocked by Joe Willock. With five first half minutes to go, Joelinton clobbered a right-footed effort wide of the target, and Harrison Armstrong steered a shot wide on the stroke of half-time before the inevitable boos rang out.
Late pressure fails to produce an equaliser
As Newcastle switched off from an early free-kick with three second half minutes played, Tyrique George's shot squirmed underneath Hornicek before Barry tapped home the rebound. The Magpies attempted to muster a response just before the hour mark, but Anthony Elanga's effort was blocked by Garner.
The levels of desperation rose again for Newcastle as veteran centre-back Fabian Schar wound up for a long range effort, but the quest for a shot on target rolled past the hour mark. Everton then forced a save out of Hornicek when O'Brien's corner was met by James Tarkowski, who came close to doubling the lead.
Jaissle changed it in the 64th minute with Willock coming off for Yoane Wissa and Sean Steur coming on for Gonzalez. The woodwork came to Everton's rescue two minutes later as Wissa found Elanga, but his shot hit Pickford and struck the post, somehow spinning back from the line and staying out.
With 12 minutes left, Steur started a move that allowed Dedic to tee up Ramsey, but his effort whistled wide. Wissa fired in the first shot on target on 85 minutes, but it was easy for Pickford, who also saved with his trailing leg to deny Wissa in the 90th minute before eight minutes of stoppage time was added.
At the end of the additional period, Ramsey managed to pick up a second yellow card for a brutal foul on Hayden Hackney as Newcastle ended the night with 10 men. Once more, the boos rang out, and even some supporters booed the lap of appreciation as the players went off. Referee: John Brooks (Melton Mowbray). Attendance: 52,279.
