Late goal gets desperate Everton draw

LONDON — After 23 games without a goal, Dominic CalvertLewin was a picture of calm as he fired home an 88th-minute penalty that could be crucial to Everton’s hopes of Premier League survival.

The England striker stepped off the bench in the second half at St James’ Park with his relegation-fighting team trailing 1-0 to a dominant Newcastle.

With Nottingham Forest on its way to a 3-1 win against Fulham, Everton desperately needed something to stay ahead of the Midlands club, which is also in a battle to avoid the drop.

Calvert-Lewin’s last goal was on Oct. 29 against West Ham — but, with the pressure on and time running down, he was willing to take responsibility from the spot and salvaged a 1-1 draw that kept 16th-place Everton one point ahead of Forest in 17th.

“He has been working hard and getting in the right areas. He strikes it well enough to go in and I am pleased for him and the group,” Everton manager Sean Dyche said.

Even after Calvert-Lewin’s rescue act, Everton is still without a league win in 2024.

It is four points clear of Luton in 18th, but having already been handed a six-point deduction this season for breaching the league’s financial rules, it could face more punishment for further breaches.

All Dyche can do is to concentrate on turning things around on the field.

“This job wasn’t a walk in the park when I got it and it is still not,” he said. “There is a long way to go, but there are a lot of steps we are making in the right direction.”

The form book might suggest otherwise, with Everton’s winless run in the league extending to 13 games, but it is.

The draw hardly helped Newcastle either after the home team had looked set to boost its hopes of securing European soccer next season when Alexander Isak struck in the 15th.

It was the Sweden international’s 19th goal of the season.