Wednesday night at Murrayfield ended Everton 3 Newcastle United 1.
A few thoughts on what I witnessed on my trip to Edinburgh.
A second friendly game of this Matthias Jaissle reign and a bit of a reality check, if one were needed.
The basics on the goals are that Thiaw and Botman failed to win challenges high up in their own half, Everton got in behind and Lewis Hall unlucky not to prevent the eventual goal with great covering play. Barry then scoring although Hornicek a bit unlucky as he got a hand to the strike. That 27th minute opener was quickly followed by a second for the Toffees, a very soft decision penalty conceded by Joelinton and Ndiaye scoring the spot-kick.
Matthias Jaissle had started with what looked arguably close to his strongest available team and the first half saw Newcastle control large periods of the opening 45 but with not a lot of threat.
With Hornicek the only one to stay on the pitch and ten outfield changes at the break, including a handful of players without a minute of senior football between them, it looked a tough ask to get back into the game.
It was Everton who got the next goal, with 20 minutes left it was George who scored their third when giving Lukas Hornicek no chance with his low shot.
With five minutes remaining a (first!) decent cross from Jacob Murphy was volleyed home well by Harvey Barnes but this little consolation to the excellent travelling United support who make up the majority of the 22,982 crowd, vastly outnumbering the Everton support.
It was a poor second half though and of the potential first team contenders who played the second 45 it was only Sean Steur who impressed but not getting much help from those around him.
Credit: Newcastle United FC
To sum up, the penalty was a joke and from them it went downhill, before that we had looked okay.
Hornicek Good with shot stopping and made some decent saves, not so good on crosses/corners.
Shahar – average
Thiaw – did ok
Botman – looked really good up until the error for the first goal, definitely looks fitter and with more spring in the air
Hall – looked rusty
Joelinton – did enough
Bamba – not as good as the other night but still involved in the game
Elanga – same old, had one early shot saved
Toure – best player by far!
Wissa – busy, again better than last season, had a couple of early half chances that he put off target
Osula – a bit headless…
Those who came on for the second half…
Steur – busy but without quality around him it was a lonely battle
Jacob Murphy – one good cross! Apart from that assist for the goal he was poor
Woltemade – not great
Willock – was Willock, but tried to get involved
Ramsey – disappointing (again)
Barnes – great goal from a great cross, other than that he looked average
All the youngsters that came on looked a step down…
Charlton
Pivas
Johnson
Mason Miley
Final Score
Everton 3 Newcastle United 1
Goals
Everton: Barry 27, Ndiaye 36 pen, George 73
Newcastle United: Barnes 85
Newcastle United (first half): Lukáš Horníček, Lewis Hall, Sven Botman, Joelinton (c), Aladji Bamba, Yoane Wissa, William Osula, Malick Thiaw, Bazoumana Touré, Anthony Elanga, Leo Shahar
Newcastle United (second half): Lukáš Horníček, Harvey Barnes, Sean Steur, Jacob Murphy, Nick Woltemade, Joe Willock, Dylan Charlton, Jacob Ramsey, Miodrag Pivaš, Henry Johnson, Mason Miley
Subs not used: Mark Gillespie, Aidan Harris, Rory Finneran, Sean Neave
Newcastle United schedule:
Saturday 15 August 2026
Newcastle United v Bayer Leverkusen friendly at St James’ Park, 3pm.
Sunday 16 August 2026
Newcastle United v Strasbourg friendly at St James’ Park, 4pm.
Sunday 23 August 2026
Newcastle v Liverpool 4.30pm – United’s first Premier League match of the season
Saturday 29 August 2026
Spurs v Newcastle (5.30pm) Sky Sports
Tuesday 1 September 2026
Premier League transfer window closes at 11pm.
Saturday 5 September 2026
Newcastle v Bournemouth 12.30pm TNT Sports
Monday 14 September 2026
Leeds v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports
(Please note, should either club reach the Carabao Cup third round and be scheduled to play against a club participating in this season’s UEFA Champions League, the match will revert to Saturday 12 September and take place at 12:30pm)
Saturday 19 September 2026
Newcastle v Hull (3pm) No live TV