I’m sorry everyone, this is likely to be a further bring down of your already bad mood.
Some things have happened recently to give cheer and optimism. Thumping Qarabag and defying the refereeing odds at Villa Park have set up two knock-out rounds in major cups that have boosted unlikely beliefs that this season can yet be great.
This has been offset by an undercurrent of alarm at a rapidly disintegrating league campaign, shattered by defeat to Brentford here last time out, revived with a win away to hapless Tottenham and pretty much as expected with a fighting defeat at Man City.
Today gave the opportunity to course correct.
Everton, like Brentford before them, were the easiest fixture by far in a difficult month of horrible fixtures. Everton, like Brentford before them, left as the beneficiaries of a 3-2 win handed to them by unacceptable defending, pathetic mentality and further clear indication that this Newcastle team needs taken apart and started again.
I can forgive Branthwaite’s opening goal, albeit his first goal in forever or something. It was a well executed corner that he got a smart flick header to. The fact that this goal came after 20 minutes of Everton controlling the game and Newcastle looking their usual pedestrian selves, unable to keep the ball in futile attempts to play out from the back, was quite the irksome part. But this was just the amuse-bouche for a three course meal of ruining your weekend served up yet again by NUFC representatives I am in no mood to excuse, forgive or make allowances for. This was poor beyond acceptance and they have no recourse.
The really unforgivable thing was the way Newcastle United chose to offer hope then snatch it away. Jacob Ramsey was the shining light in an awful first half and his power drive deflected past the wrong-footed Pickford for an equaliser that was greeted with raucous relief.
The way this parity was surrendered was the worst thing I’ve seen this season. Dwight McNeil is one of many bang average Premier League players that seems to become world class when faced with Newcastle. His speculative effort was blocked by Pope, who then took an age to get up while the defence stood and allowed Beto to run on and somehow beat the recovering keeper to the ball. It’s the sort of goal you see when you’re ten pints deep and arrive home to watch the football league show, able to enjoy a good chuckle at the sorry state of defending in league two. United had strained to get back in the game and blown it within two minutes.
Two minutes was a decent display of stamina compared to the way the game was blown in the second half though. Elanga, who tried but to little avail, and Woltemade, positionally unsound and anonymous were withdrawn for the energetic Murphy and the better Barnes. The former made second half pressure tell, latching on to a pass Joelinton was fortunate to dig out and rifling a low bouncing drive on for an equaliser that felt like it was coming. United grabbed the ball and ran back for the restart, all set to put things right.
I can’t remember feeling more gutted at a concession. I don’t ever want to dig people out, but Anthony Gordon talks repeatedly about mentality and focus, both in interviews and via his own social media. Yet again he was appalling against Everton, having repeatedly failed to make the slightest impact on games against the club he left with a point to prove. His ridiculous attempt to dribble past four opponents in a dangerous position, allowed Barry to restore the visitors lead within seconds of Murphy’s equaliser. Then with so little time left, Everton just had to exercise their repeated diving, injury feigning and general dark arts that we used to be capable of, but seem to have utterly given up in favour of conserving energy for the next one, or whatever the wet wipe excuse is.
This almost didn’t work, as deep into injury time the ball broke to Sandro Tonali, one of few to emerge with credit. He hit such a technically perfect, thunderous volley that it seemed inconceivable it wouldn’t salvage a fairly uninspiring draw as it flamed goalwards. Pickford did brilliantly to throw a hand on it and rode his luck as the bar deflected it over instead of in.
The muscle flex celebration Pickford did after this is one I hope they all see when they close their eyes tonight.
This was not on and I resent the fact that we the fans have to tolerate gloating mackems on and off the pitch, wiseacre scousers of the blue and plastic variety and general ruined weekends, while they all saunter off to splendid spa days and lovely Sunday dinners with a backdrop of “on to the next one”. This was not on.
I said last week that the entire starting team for this game should have sat out the non-event vs Qarabag and focus on beating this lot. The stupid overegging of getting a result in that dead second leg has cost us horribly and it was a bad, inexcusable decision.
The concession of three goals at home for the fourth time in seven home games is relegation stuff and it’s frankly offensive to keep doing this when you’re taking 60 and 70 quid off people on the very days this sort of semi professional clownery plays out yet again. The ironic thing is that we might well be capable of showing far better against Barcelona, as the ability to rise up for these games is as predictable as the seemingly malicious intent to disrespect the paying audience whenever a middling Premier League team shows up. One win and four points from the last seven PL games, 15 goals conceded, 18 goals biffed past us at St James’ Park in seven games in the calendar year so far, they might as well flick us the Vs on their way off the pitch. So much for the big reset post-Brentford.
We needed a favour from Man Utd on the final day of the season to get top five last year. Let’s hope Salford’s finest are in a similar charitable mood on Wednesday, although it’s more like top ten hopes we’re aiming for now.
I will hope to remain balanced. Ironically, we actually might have a chance in the cup, as the one-off nature of performance required makes it more blaggable than the consistency we just haven’t got in the league. The summer reset seems to have been the goal since the desperate dealings of 1st September. Other than the bloke watching from an oxygen chamber in Brazil, I have no issue with anyone involved in insults like today making their exit, albeit that some will leave with far more memories and well-wishes than others.
Newcastle 2 Everton 3 – Saturday 28 February 2026 3pm
Match Stats
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Ramsey 32, Jacob Murphy 82
Everton:
Branthwaite 19, Beto 34, Barry 83
Possession was Newcastle 66% Everton 34%
Total shots were Newcastle 17 Everton 9
Shots on target were Newcastle 7 Everton 5
Corners were Newcastle 7 Everton 2
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 33 Everton 12
Newcastle team v Everton:
Pope, Trippier (Wissa 75), Thiaw, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Joelinton, Ramsey (Willock 46), Elanga (Jacob Murphy 56), Gordon (Osula 86), Woltemade (Barnes 56)
Unused subs:
Ramsdale, Botman, Shahar, Alex Murphy
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