Magical Miguel keeps Toon home run going
EDDIE Howe spent the early part of this week taking on the red half of Merseyside. His players then saw to the blue half on a feisty night at St James’ Park.
The Newcastle boss is not prone to pre-match headline-making. He probably would not have liked that his forceful response to Jurgen Klopp’s claims about his club’s limitless spending set the agenda going into this game.
So after a third win in four matches and an unbeaten home record solidified their place in what is fast becoming a Top Seven, Howe was far happier that it was his team up in lights.
But for Everton, another dark away day, a 16th loss in 23 on the road. Frank Lampard was pleased with their performance. That was as baffling as his team’s reluctance to shoot, not a single shot on target all night. It is also now three defeats on the spin.
They were beaten by Miguel Almiron’s super first-half strike, and it never looked like the hosts would need anything more.
A word on the match-winner. For all of Newcastle’s investment — £200million on eight signings — and Klopp’s moaning about their means to buy success, it is a player the new owners inherited who has been at the heart of their drive up the table. That is now four goals in as many games for the oft-maligned Paraguayan.
Jack Grealish mocked him at the end of last season. But while the Manchester City man warms the bench, Almiron is warming hearts on Tyneside.
‘He is playing with confidence,’ said Howe. ‘He’s always been incredible out of possession. Then you want the end product and now some of his goals are spectacular, real game-changers. He deserves the recognition he is getting.’
Lampard said: ‘ No shots on target is a slight red herring. we performed oK. I see a good group of lads with spirit and understanding. I don’t want to see any sulking. we’ve had three tough games, we go again.’
The first 30 minutes had been high on quarrel, low on quality. Almiron changed that when he curled in the opener.
As Bruno Guimaraes rolled the ball to his team-mate on the fringe of the area, Jordan Pickford dashed from his line, and so invited Almiron to shoot. His RSVP was dispatched first-class. Top corner. Postage stamp.
Pickford can be guilty of head rushes in these parts, given his Sunderland loyalties and the inevitable baiting. Two seasons ago he was dropped for this fixture by Carlo Ancelotti. An adage about playing the game and not the occasion springs to mind.
He was beaten twice more before half-time, but both times Guimaraes stabbed inches wide from inside the area.
Newcastle came into the game with the league’s best defence, nine conceded from 10 matches. Howe says he does not read the press but he had seen the accusation of him being a manager who cannot organise a defence when arriving here last year and, in his own words, ‘did not like it’.
Leopards, then, can change their spots, and Howe’s big cats at the back prowl their territory in black and white stripes these days.
In a bid to improve at the other end of the park, Newcastle made enquiries for Everton forwards Dominic Calvert- Lewin and Anthony Gordon during the summer. on both occasions they were put off by the asking price. on this evidence, they are unlikely to return in January. Calvert-Lewin lasted 73 minutes but did little to strengthen his weakening claims for inclusion in England’s world Cup squad. Newcastle’s Callum wilson was better but he, too, is finding his way back to form and fitness. Time is running out.
And time ran out on Everton here. That said, they could have played another 90 minutes and would have done well to have a shot, let alone score a goal.