Everton made it five without defeat and ended both the decade and 2019 with a 2-1 win away at Newcastle to give Carlo Ancelotti his first ever win at St James’ Park, thanks to a brace from Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Ancelotti made five changes from the 1-0 win over Burnley, with Leighton Baines, Michael Keane, Tom Davies, Theo Walcott, and Moise Kean all coming in, replacing,Lucas Digne, Seamus Coleman, Yerry Mina, Fabian Delph and Bernard.
Everton got off to a great start, putting the hosts on the back foot straight away by winning a series of corners in succession with firstly Moise Kean having his header saved, and then Michael Keane heading over when he really should have tested the Newcastle keeper.
However it took justt 13 minutes for Everton to take the lead that their play deserved. Baines was fouled on the edge of the area, and when Gylfi Sigurdsson failed with his initial attempt via a free-kick, the rebound fortunately fell straight to the Icelandic playmaker. He drove the ball into the area, hitting a Newcastle player, before it fell kindly to Calvert-Lewin who placed the ball past Martin Dubravka in the Newcastle goal.
Newcastle tried to get back into the game and did have the ball in the net just before 30 minutes, but it was ruled out for offside, denying Andy Carroll his first goal for Newcastle.
The hosts grew into the game, and Miguel Almiron should have done better with his chance just before the break when he raced through on goal after a great ball from Joelinton. The Paraguayan raced past Djibril Sidibe towards the area, and as he went to strike towards goal, he got it completely wrong and sent the ball well wide of Jordan Pickford’s net.
On the stroke of halftime, Newcastle had a free-kick just inside the Everton half, and when the ball was cleared, Moise Kean set Theo Walcott through on goal with no one in sight, only for referee Lee Mason to blow for halftime, much to the annoyance of Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti.
The second half started much like the first, with Everton quick out the blocks. Gylfi Sigurdsson’s corner went over everyone and looked to have hit a Newcastle arm, very similar to the penalty awarded in the Leicester v Liverpool game, however Lee Mason waved away the protests and no VAR check was made.
Everton continued to pressure the hosts and almost doubled their lead through Moise Kean. Tom Davies drilled the ball to the feet of Calvert-Lewin, as he controlled the ball Kean flicked it between two defenders, but Dubravka was quick off his line to deny Kean as he tried to chip it over the keeper.
Newcastle held out and got themselves back into the game 10 minutes after the restart. Jetro Willems, who was brilliant down the Newcastle left, won a free-kick from Walcott on the left side of the area. He then picked out Carroll at the back post, who nodded the ball down to Fabian Schar who smashed the ball past Pickford to make it 1-1.
Ancelotti made a change, bringing on Fabian Delph for Moise Kean allowing Richarlison to go alongside Calvert-Lewin and it worked almost immediately. Walcott won the ball back on the halfway line and immediately fed the ball forward to Richarlison, who raced down the line and whipped in a great ball for Calvert-Lewin who had ran towards the back post, and the Everton number 9 got his second of the game after tapping in from close range.
Newcastle tried to get back into the game, but Everton played smart and wasted time when they could to see them over the line, getting a deserved three points to end 2019.
