Wilson’s double downs the toffees to leave Bruce buzzing
EVERTON 0
NEWCASTLE UNITED 2 Wilson (73, 90)
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce believes a more attackminded approach brought victory at Everton ended a nine-match winless run in the Premier League.
Two goals in the last 17 minutes from Callum Wilson – the opener his 50th in the Premier League – saw the Magpies register their first points of 2021.
It was Newcastle’s first victory at Goodison Park since 2010 and their first league double over the Toffees since the late Sir Bobby Robson was in charge in the 2001-02 season.
“It is something we have been working on now for weeks,” he said.
“We (previously) sat deep and played on the counterattack and we have been working on getting on the front foot and I think the players have enjoyed it. certainly looking at their performance they have enjoyed it and they enjoyed the change – but you need results to go with it.”
The biggest performance of the afternoon came from Bruce’s key player Wilson, who was a threat all game.
“He has put in a big performance. You need your big players and we need a bit of service to him,” added Bruce. “Of course he will get the headlines, but for me a clean sheet is always a great start.”
The first half was attritional, but not without its chances as Yerry Mina twice headed over early on as James Rodriguez’s delivery caused problems.
Goalkeeper Karl Darlow stood tall to parry a Richarlison
effort and blocked Rodriguez’s shot with his chest.
Jordan Pickford produced the best save of the game to divert Wilson’s flicked header onto the crossbar before half-time.
Wilson should have done better when he swept Ryan Fraser’s pass just past the far post from a counter-attack not long after the restart.
Everton then forgot their defensive principles. Wilson was allowed to lose his marker at a Jonjo Shelvey corner and flick a near-post header across Pickford and inside the far upright.
The striker was then denied by a post late on, but made no mistake when the visitors countered quickly in added time, firing a low shot past the England No.1.
Everton boss Ancelotti cut a frustrated figure in his postmatch press conference.
He criticised the “lazy” performance, but was at a loss to explain why.
He said: “I think they won as they showed more fighting spirit, more concentration, more motivation.
“I think we forgot all this today at home. I don’t know why. That was the reason, it was not a tactical or physical reason. It was a mental reason. The psychological aspect affected our performance.
“We were lazy, slow, not focused.”