Everton managed to increase the pressure on Newcastle manager Mattias Jassele by winning 1-0 at St James' Park on Monday. A goal from Tierno Barry secured seventh place in the Premier League for Everton, while Newcastle remained in thirteenth position.
In the final minutes of the match, Newcastle midfielder Jacob Ramsey was sent off for a rough foul on Harrison Armstrong. This game became another heavy defeat for the Saudi Arabia-sponsored Newcastle; the team lost four of its last five matches across all tournaments and won only two of the last seven.
Manager Jassele and his players faced bullying both during the break and after the final whistle, as the German coach begins to feel the strain in his first season as head coach.
Jassele, who was hired after the unexpected departure of Eddie Howe, previously managed Red Bull Salzburg and Al-Ahli, is struggling to influence the team in Tyneside. He desperately needs a win against relegation candidate Fulham on Saturday to ease the growing scrutiny of his work.
Curiously, Newcastle lost 22 of its last 33 Premier League matches on Monday, and many fans left the stadium long before the bleak and rainy game ended.
Ramsey received a red card
Barry's goal was his eighth of the season, including four goals in the last six matches, allowing Everton to secure their second victory over Newcastle within five days of a 3-1 win in the League Cup quarter-final on Thursday. Everton broke a streak of two consecutive league defeats following setbacks against Arsenal and Chelsea. This was Everton's first away league win since February 28, when they earned three points in their previous visit to Newcastle.
Jack Grisley was absent from Everton's squad for the second consecutive match after being excluded from the match against Newcastle last week due to 'club disciplinary breach.'
The loan winger from Manchester City, who has been heavily criticized for off-field behavior throughout his illustrious career, reportedly missed training sessions before the League Cup match. Everton stated that he was 'not ready for the game,' but his team managed without him.
Newcastle started the game actively and created dangerous chances when Harvey Barnes shot wide, and Joelinton nearly hit the target from 25 yards out. However, in a tense first half marked more by sweat than inspiration, chances for both teams were limited.
Everton's goal four minutes after the break matched the dirty style of play that preceded it. Newcastle's poor defense allowed Tiriq George to take a shot that was weakly deflected by Lucas Hornicek. Hornicek could only redirect the ball directly to Barry, who scored easily, and this goal passed the VAR check for offside.
It was such an easy moment that even the unpredictable Barry couldn't miss, although Newcastle fans expressed dissatisfaction with the VAR decision allowing the goal to stand. Fabian Schär missed a good chance to equalize, shooting wide of the goal. Furthermore, Jassele's team came close to leveling the score through Anthony Elanga, whose close-range shot hit the post and rolled along the goal line, but Everton managed to save it.
Concluding their inconsistent performance, Newcastle required 86 minutes to finally strike at the goal, and even then, Juan Wissa's attempt was routine for Pickford. Wissa still managed to force Pickford into a more difficult save in stoppage time. But Ramsey received a second yellow card in 60 seconds, sealing Newcastle's misfortune.
