Goals from Ross Barkley, Romelu Lukaku, and Leon Osman have lifted Everton into fifth place in the English Premier League, a 3-0 win over Newcastle United that allows Roberto Martínez’s team to renew its lingering Champions League dreams. Leveraging a transition game that countered the Magpies into submission, the Toffees moved within six points for fourth place Arsenal, with their convincing win in Newcastle revitalizing faint top-four hopes.
Barkley opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, capping a 65-yard run after a Newcastle corner to beat Tim Krul from close range. Early in the second half, Romelu Lukaku beat the Magpies’ defense to a ball rolled into the six-yard box by Gerard Deulofeu, his one-timed shot giving the Toffees their 16th win of the season. Three minutes before time, Osman scored from the middle of the Newcastle area to give the Toffees a convincing three-goal result.
The loss keeps Newcastle eighth, five points behind Manchester United, but deals a blow to their Europa League hopes. It also marks the seventh time in eight games the Toon has gone scoreless in the absence of striker Loïc Rémy.
A flurry of Newcastle chances near the second minute got the game off to an engaging start, with Luuk de Jong and Papiss Cissé drawing goal mouth blocks from James McCarthy before Yoan Gouffran whiffed on chance from 14 yards out. Everton quickly came into the match and was pushing toward Krul’s goal minutes later, foreshadowing a half of ambitious soccer from each side.
Newcastle’s nine shots over the first 45 minutes hinted the Magpies had the better for play, a deceiving figure in light of what happened in the 22nd minute. Off a corner to the right of Tim Howard’s goal, Everton broke out, eventually feeding Barkley as the young attacker first full speed going into Newcastle’s end. The aspiring England international took it from there, carrying the ball to the edge of the six-yard box before finishing high into Krul’s goal, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Early in the second half, Lukaku doubled that edge. Again executing in transition, Everton saw a ball sent in from the right by Gerard Deulofeu cross goal just inside the six-yard box. There Lukaku was able to beat the Newcastle defense to put home his 12th goal of the season, Everton having countered their way to a decisive lead at St. James’ Park.
Newcastle’s best chance to get back in the game came in the 78th minute when substitute Hatem Ben Arfa, dribbling through the Everton defense, rolled a ball far post for Vurnon Anita. Sliding at the right post, the Magpies’ midfielder pushed his shot wide, relegating the home side to being shutout.
In the 82nd minute, another transition opportunity ended any lingering hopes of a Newcastle comeback, with a break sparked by Steven Naismith ending when a ball played back for Osman was fired into in Krul’s upper-left hand corner. The midfielder’s third goal of the year gave Everton its final margin of victory, rekindling hopes the Toffees can still record their second top four finish in the Premier League era.
LINEUPS
Newcastle United: Krul; Yanga-Mbiwa (Marveaux 75′), Williamson, Coloccini, Dummet; Sissoko, Anita, Tioté, Gouffran (Shola Ameobi 90′); de Jong, Cissé
Everton: Howard; Baines, Distin, Stones, Coleman; Barry, McCarthy; Deulofeu, Barkley (Naismith 82′), Osman; Lukaku
Goals: Barkley (22′), Lukaku (52′), Osman (87′)
