Dominic Calvert-Lewin ended a 23-game goal drought as he scored a late penalty on Tuesday to give struggling Everton a 1-1 Premier League draw at Newcastle United, who will rue several missed opportunities in a match they largely dominated.
Everton were awarded the spot-kick when Ashley Young was hauled to the floor by Newcastle defender Paul Dummett, who had only just come onto the pitch, and Calvert-Lewin netted as the visitors overcame a poor first half to equalise.
Alexander Isak had earlier scored for the fifth home game in a row for Newcastle after being played behind the Everton defence by Harvey Barnes, the Swede showing great composure to evade the challenges of James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite.
Everton, who are facing the potential of a second points deduction this season for a breach of Profit and Sustainability rules, stay in 16th place with 26 points from 30 games, four points above the relegation zone, while Newcastle are in eighth with 44 points from 30 games. Newcastle will be desperately disappointed not to claim the win and should have been out of sight by the time Calvert-Lewin converted his spot-kick, which in itself was a gift to the visitors.
Everton have now gone 13 Premier League games without a win since a 2-0 victory at Burnley in December, a side they face next at Goodison Park on Saturday in what will be a key relegation six-pointer. Visiting goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made an excellent early save to deny Harvey Barnes, spreading himself well to thwart the Newcastle winger from close range, while at the other end Tarkowski headed over from a free kick.
After Isak had Newcastle in front inside 15 minutes, Pickford had to make another fine stop from Jacob Murphy as Everton were over-run in the midfield and struggled to contain their hosts. Newcastle thought they had doubled their advantage when Dan Burn had the ball in the back of the net in the second half, but Isak was offside before he slipped the ball to the defender.
James Garner hit the post for Everton with a rare foray forward and Tarkowski did the same at the other end with a misplaced clearance that rebounded off his own goal-frame. Newcastle were denied again as Isak had the whole goal to aim at from six yards, but Vitaliy Mykolenko headed his shot off the line. The hosts were made to pay for not putting the game to bed as Dummett had his arms around the neck of Young as the two jostled in the box and conceded a clear penalty to offer Everton a lifeline.
Burnley lose ground in
relegation fight
Burnley’s hopes of Premier League survival were dealt another blow despite a brilliant strike by Jacob Bruun Larsen as Wolverhampton Wanderers fought back from a goal down to draw 1-1 at Turf Moor. Nottingham Forest’s 3-1 over Fulham earlier in the evening means that they are in 17th place on 25 points, three ahead of Luton Town in 18th spot and six ahead of second-from-bottom Burnley, while Wolves are 10th on 42 points.
Burnley went ahead in the 37th minute through Bruun Larsen, who met a deep cross on the right from Dara O’Shea with a stunning volley with his instep that flew past the helpless Jose Sa in the Wolves goal. However, Wolves levelled in first-half stoppage time as Rayan Ait-Nouri was left completely unmarked in the box to send a powerful downward header from Pablo Sarabia’s free kick bouncing into the net.
Earlier, Crystal Palace remained on the fringe of the relegation zone after sliding to a 1-0 defeat at rain-swept Bournemouth on Tuesday. A scrappy game was decided in the 80th minute by Justin Kluivert who finished well after good work by fellow substitute Antoine Semenyo.
After a fourth league game without a win, Palace are in 14th place with 30 points, eight ahead of 18th-placed Luton Town. While Palace should stay out of trouble, 11th-placed Bournemouth can already start planning for another top-flight campaign after moving to 41 points.