Matthias Jaissle is learning how quickly the mood at St James’ Park can turn. Four days after losing 3-1 to Everton in the Carabao Cup, his Newcastle side were beaten by the same opponents again on Monday night, this time 1-0 in the Premier League, and sections of the home crowd jeered them off both at half-time and at the final whistle.
The decisive moment, four minutes after the restart, came from Newcastle switching off. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall took a free-kick quickly, Tyrique George ran clear and struck a shot that slipped beneath goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek, and Thierno Barry was left with the simplest of finishes in the 49th minute. Jaissle argued afterwards that Barry had caught Fabian Schar with an elbow in the build-up and that the goal should have been ruled out.
Everton had already wasted the better first-half openings, Barry swinging and missing completely and Harrison Armstrong steering wide when unmarked. Newcastle only came alive late: Anthony Elanga hit the post after 66 minutes, but the hosts first forced the goalkeeper into action only in the 85th minute, when substitute Yoane Wissa tested Jordan Pickford, who later saved from him again with an outstretched leg. Deep into stoppage time another replacement, Jacob Ramsey, collected two yellow cards in 86 seconds and will miss Saturday’s trip to Fulham.
For David Moyes, once again without Jack Grealish, it meant Everton finally won on the road in the league this term and moved up to seventh. He praised his youthful squad for holding nothing back. Newcastle are down in 13th, just four points above the bottom three, having lost four of their past five fixtures across all tournaments. Jaissle admitted to deep frustration and accepted that the blame rests with him.
