GOOD WIL boss breathing space
STEVE BRUCE came in search of another Goodison Park miracle – and two-goal Callum Wilson provided it.
Last season Bruce’s side had snatched an unlikely 2-2 draw here with two goals in added time.
And with time running out on his Toon tenure it was no wonder he danced a jig of delight on the pitch following Wilson’s brilliant 73rd-minute header which set up Toon’s first win in
12 games.
Newcastle had only collected two points from a possible 27 before this trip to Merseyside and were going downhill quicker than an alpine skier.
Last week in came new coach Graeme Jones, lured from Bournemouth for a
£250,000 compensation fee, and with the Tyneside rumour mill suggesting he was a caretaker manager in waiting.
Instead, the self-confessed Magpies fan proved to be a lucky charm and he received a friendly slap on the top of the head from a grinning Bruce as the expanded coaching entourage celebrated at the final whistle.
In fact, the Newcastle technical area is so crowded with Bruce’s lieutenants you half expected them to be slapped with a congestion charge.
For Carlo Ancelotti and his team this was a real slap in the face. Dreams of Europe were dismantled in 90 subdued minutes for the home side.
The Everton boss said: “I thought they showed more fight and spirit, more concentration and more motivation. We forgot all this.
“It was a mental attitude. We were lazy and too slow.”
This, though, was Newcastle’s day after an horrendous run which has brought dismay and anger within the ranks of the Toon army.
And it was Wilson’s day as well with two clinically taken goals – although he believed he should have left with the match ball after missing out on probably the easiest chance.
“I should have had three goals for sure,” he said. “This win has been a long time coming. We needed to pull our fingers out to be honest. We’ve shown glimpses but today it all came together.”
His delighted manager Bruce added: “It’s been a tough few weeks but today we had some really big players. There’s no disputing it’s been difficult.
“We haven’t turned it around yet. This is just one game but you need your big players fit and healthy.
“When you’re on a bad run it’s difficult whether you are Mikel Arteta or Frank Lampard. Today we were at it and we have produced a great result.”
To the delight of the Newcastle fans who have criticised Bruce’s negativity, their side began on the front foot having dispensed with a five-man rearguard.
And that positivity which clearly surprised the home side almost saw them take a 29th-minute lead, Jordan Pickford brilliantly tipping a fierce Wilson header from Ryan Fraser’s corner on to the bar.
And Wilson should have scored just after the break. Fraser sped down the right before whipping in a low cross but the on-running Wilson could only steer it past the post.
But there was no escape for the
England keeper with 17 minutes to go as Wilson met Jonjo Shelvey’s corner with a brilliantly angled header which arrowed past him in a blur.
Cue the frenzied celebrations of Bruce and company.
And Wilson hit the jackpot again in the 86th minute as he showed composure and finishing power as Newcastle once again surged forward on the break.
Jamal Lewis supplied the killer pass for Wilson to round Pickford and steer the ball into the empty net.
Karl Darlow, the Premier League’s most overworked keeper, was just forced into routine saves to deny James Rodriguez and Richarlison as Newcastle recorded a first win since December 12.
Proof that miracles can happen – especially when they come to the blue side of Merseyside.