Romelu Lukaku’s eight-game goalscoring streak came to an end but a constantly exciting Boxing Day match came to an incredible conclusion with a late goal for the Toffees.Tom Cleverley scored with the last kick of the game as Everton were belatedly rewarded for their domination of Newcastle with a 1-0 win at St James’s Park.
Magpies goalkeeper Rob Elliot and his counterpart, Tim Howard, had been the central figures as both teams missed a host of presentable chances and a share of the spoils would have been a fair outcome, given the profligacy on display throughout, with the visitors’ Romelu Lukaku and Newcastle striker Aleksandar Mitrovic among the chief offenders.
Cleverley spared his attacking colleagues’ blushes, though, heading home to break Newcastle hearts in the 94th minute after Elliot ought to have done better, securing Everton a first league win in five attempts.
Newcastle, meanwhile, lost for the first time in four matches, a painful outcome for the strugglers, who have improved considerably of late but drop into the relegation zone.
A confident Everton dominated possession and chances during the first 25 minutes. Kevin Mirallas, Lukaku and Ross Barkley were all heavily involved, as Seamus Coleman’s overlapping runs down the right flank in particular caused the hosts plenty of problems.
Martinez’s men could not transform that control into clear-cut chances and were almost caught out on the break when Daryl Janmaat reached the byeline and delivered a cross to the top of the six-yard box, where Mitrovic glanced a header wide.
The hosts had two narrow escapes in as many minutes approaching the half-hour mark. Fabricio Coloccini could have given a penalty away for manhandling Lukaku metres out from the goal-line. The powerful Belgium striker was then played in one-on-one by Aaron Lennon but Elliot did well to remain upright and parry away his shot.
It was Newcastle’s turn to go close in the 31st minute, when Howard had to race out and gather Mitrovic’s knockdown, denying Ayoze Perez what would have been a simple finish.
A tight start to the second half initially produced few chances. Lukaku tested Elliot at the goalkeeper’s near post in the 56th minute and, three minutes later, Lennon drew another save from the Irishman.
With 19 minutes to go, Perez collected a long ball forward, turned and fired just wide. Two minutes later, Mitrovic missed the best chance of the match so far, powering a header wide from close range after rising to meet Moussa Sissoko’s chipped cross.
The Newcastle onslaught continued in the 76th minute, Georginio Wijnaldum heading Jack Colback’s cross to the back post straight at Howard.
A breathless match screamed on and one minute later it was Elliot’s turn to produce some heroics, reacting quickly to push Ramiro Funes Mori’s header from a corner clear of danger and Chancel Mbemba denied Lukaku in stoppage-time with a last-ditch tackle as the striker raced clear.
GOAL.C
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