EVERTON REVIVAL CONTINUES AS ROONEY STINGS NEWCASTLE ONCE AGAIN
HOW Newcastle United must wish they had pulled off that audacious bid for Wayne Rooney in the summer of 2004. He has been scoring goals against them ever since.
This was his 15th against the club who, at one point, met Rooney’s agent as they tried to rival Manchester United’s offer some 13 years ago.
That tally is more than he has versus any other team.
Home supporters ventured to St James’ Park dreaming of ambitious transfer moves such as the approach for Rooney. News of progress on Amanda Staveley’s proposed £300million takeover earlier in the day had lifted the mood made miserable by six defeats in the previous seven.
But they are going to need that deal agreed soon and January funds released for Rafa Benitez, for without significant investment this side is going down.
They actually played well here, and still lost. Benitez, though, has long since blamed individual errors for his team’s slump, and so it was that another blunder cost them dear.
The manager chose to drop goalkeeper Rob Elliot last month in favour of Karl Darlow.
He, however, has conceded eight times in four games since and Benitez must be wondering why he made the change, especially after seeing Darlow gift the winner to Rooney on 27 minutes.
For Everton and former Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce, this took their return to seven points from nine under his charge and it was a first away win since January.
And this was classic Allardyce, something they never fully appreciated in these parts — winning ugly. The Magpies were on top from the off.
Matt Ritchie was unlucky when his low, deadball drill after just 90 seconds was deflected wide.
The home side were in command. Mo Diame charged towards Ritchie’s wicked cross but was a stud’s length away from poking home in the six-yard area.
Ritchie then had a shot snaffled by Jordan Pickford and, when he finally did beat the England goalkeeper with a vicious blast from 18 yards, he was thwarted by the woodwork.
What a pivotal moment that proved, for within 60 seconds Everton were in front.
Rooney’s sole contribution to that point had been a wayward defensive header which almost cost his side a goal — but when given the chance to pounce at the other end, he was quicker than everyone else.
The skipper was involved in the build-up, freeing Dominic Calvert-Lewin down the right.
He crossed and, somehow, Newcastle allowed Aaron Lennon, the smallest man on the park, to head at goal. What should have been a routine save for Darlow turned into a horrible spill and Rooney stole in to score.
Allardyce enjoyed it, celebrating arms aloft on the same touchline where Toon supporters had hurled season tickets towards him in the final weeks of his troubled Newcastle tenure.
To their credit, though, the hosts went right back at Everton. DeAndre Yedlin burst into the area and his shot was blocked by Ashley Williams.
Then, with an effort which seemed barely believable when he sized it up, midfielder Mikel Merino struck the inside of the post from fully 35 yards. There was even a chance for Dwight Gayle in first-half stoppage-time but, again, Pickford was equal to it.
At the other end there were ironic cheers for Darlow from the home crowd when he caught a weak Gylfi Sigurdsson header.
The second half began in much the same manner as the first and Merino thought he had scored when hammering through bodies from the edge of the area, only for his blast to strike Mason Holgate just yards from goal.
Darlow went a little way to redeeming himself on 70 minutes when producing a fingertip save to deny Williams and keep his side in the game.
It was of little use, however, the damage was already done.
Their misery was complete when Jonjo Shelvey was sent off after picking up a second booking for a stoppage-time chop on Idrissa Gueye. Despite the win Christmas was cancelled for Everton.
‘The Christmas party is postponed. There won’t be anything near enjoying themselves until after the cup on 5 January,’ said Everton boss Allardyce.
‘I’m a little baffled at how Everton conceded so many goals before I got here.
‘We’re up to 22 points and it all comes from a good solid defensive base.’ NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-2-3-1): Darlow; Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Manquillo; Shelvey, Merino (Perez 86); Atsu, Diame (Joselu 67), Ritchie (Aarons 74); Gayle. Subs not used: Elliot, Clark, Murphy, Hayden. Booked: Shelvey, Merino. Sent off: Shelvey. EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Kenny, Holgate, Williams, Martina; Gueye, Schneiderlin; Lennon (Vlasic 61), Rooney (Davies 77), Sigurdsson (Jagielka 85); Calvert-Lewin. Subs not used: Keane, Niasse, Lookman, Robles. Booked: Holgate, Calvert-Lewin. Man of the match: Wayne Rooney. Referee: Martin Atkinson. Attendance: 51,042.