NEWCASTLE... EVERTON....... 1 2
EVERTON fell behind to a Papiss Cisse goal for Newcastle after two minutes but a brilliant Leighton Baines (left) free-kick and Victor Anichebe sank the Toon to put Everton fifth.
TWELVE months ago it was Newcastle United who started a new year with a win which was to lay the foundations for them to try and break into the top four.
Their challenge proved fruitless in the end, and Alan Pardew’s dubious reward for his team’s sterling efforts were a place in the Europa League and all the complications UEFA’s secondary competition has brought his stretched squad.
This year it is Everton who have emerged from the pack to contest with the league’s elite. And they opened the second half of the season with a victory which has inflicted more misery on Pardew (right) and Newcastle as they come to terms with the loss of top scorer Demba Ba.
The blue half of Merseyside, buoyed by the return of Marouane Fellaini, fought back to record only their fourth Premier League victory at Newcastle.
An unstoppable free-kick from Leighton Baines just before halftime, and a killer second from substitute Victor Anichebe with his first touch of a fascinating game, inflicted another defeat on Pardew on the day Ba was finally sold. Newcastle have now lost nine of their last 11 league games and they stand two points off the bottom three.
Pardew never hid his delight that Newcastle were among the Euroby pean contenders last season. And he refuses to ignore concerns about his team’s slide down the table this week. ‘Let’s be honest, we have had an awful run but we have given a good account of ourselves,’ he said.
‘But that is not enough. Everton had more guile, more experience and more quality and that is what we need to get back. We have played Manchester United, Arsenal and Everton without our best team.
‘We can take some heart from that but we need new bodies in and players out of the treatment room.
‘We are right in it now and we have to get out of it. We need another body, maybe two in this window and we really need players like Cabaye, who are close now.’
It all looked so rosy for Newcastle after just 72 seconds when Papiss Cisse put them in front. Their supporters even sang, ‘Are you watching, Demba Ba?’ although not for long.
The opener was not terribly sophisticated — Tim Krul’s almighty punt from his own half bounced over almost every player on the pitch and into Cisse’s path — but it still required a deft headed finish from the Senegal striker who has stayed on Tyneside.
But then the possession, the pressure and the better chances came from the visitors. ‘ We played really well,’ said David Moyes. ‘I was really disappointed our good play didn’t lead to more goals.’
Within five minutes of Cisse’s opener, Newcastle keeper Krul was called upon to make a more routine contribution for his side with his first save of the night.
And Krul, who has arguably been his side’s most consistent performer for the last two seasons, had to be at his very best to keep out a curling free-kick from Baines.
Fellaini, back in the Everton side at the completion of the threematch ban for his assault on Ryan Shawcross, was at the centre of the visitors’ best moments. He created the best opening with a teasing ball out to Steven Pienaar on the Everton left, in the absence of Danny Simpson’s replacement James Perch, who had gone AWOL. Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini was left struggling to cover Pienaar’s run and the threat of Fellaini, who lurked at the edge of the box to gather the South African winger’s pulled-back cross. Thankfully for the home side, Davide Santon blocked Fellaini’s shot.
It was a taste of things to come. Fellaini and Pienaar combined again just after half an hour when Perch was again found out of position and Krul rushed confidently from his line to save well with his legs.
But the Dutchman was completely helpless when Baines stepped up to smash a free-kick from around 35 yards past him. ‘It was a worldy,’ said Moyes and referring to two other set pieces, he added: ‘Leighton is disappointed he didn’t score a hat-trick tonight.’
Newcastle supporters, and Pardew, had lost all patience with referee Martin Atkinson at that stage folfourth
lowing a series of decisions against the home side.
The most notable was a rejected penalty following Phil Neville’s clumsy challenge on Shola Ameobi. It was a difficult one for Atkinson to give amid a welter of legs and arms and the ball, but Newcastle felt it was one of many wrong decisions.
He was, however, right about the foul by Coloccini on Fellaini which allowed Baines to step up and thunder an unstoppable left-foot shot into Krul’s net.
There were chances for Newcastle but Howard was not seriously tested apart from a close-range effort from Santon which he saved with his legs, and a rebound effort from Cisse. And while Perch may have struggled against Pienaar, the utility man hit the post with a powerful downward header from a Vurnon Anita free-kick.
But on the ground where he broke his ankle three years ago, Anichebe prodded home neatly to end another fine move involving Fellaini and Jelavic. It was his first touch of the night after replacing Steven Naismith.
One piece of welcome news for the Newcastle boss is the arrival of French defender Mathieu Debuchy who will have a medical today ahead of a £5.5million move.
Moyes backed Pardew to get his side out of trouble. He added: ‘You could see they were hurting a bit, but they are a strong team with a strong manager and they have had injuries for some key players. And no team can work without their key players.’