Newcastle United were left in awe of Jordan Pickford’s ‘save of the season’ as they edged past the Toons with a 2-3 win.
Everton’s 3-2 victory at St James’ Park on Saturday was the kind of result that fuels dreams. Twice Newcastle equalised. Twice, Everton responded within minutes. Thierno Barry’s 82nd-minute winner, scored just 74 seconds after Jacob Murphy had drawn the hosts level, demonstrated a resilience that has become the hallmark of David Moyes’s second spell.
The win lifts Everton to eighth in the Premier League table, three points off seventh-placed Brentford and within touching distance of the top six. European football, whether Champions League, Europa League or Conference League, is no longer a fantasy. It is a genuine possibility.
Moyes’s superstition: No more Europe talk
Yet when Moyes faced the media after the game, he was reluctant to indulge in talk of continental qualification. The reason? Superstition born of experience.
“Every time I say it we fluff our lines, so I’m just going to say we can keep challenging in the top half of the league and see where it goes from there,” Moyes said in his post-match press conference.
He elaborated on the pattern that has led to his self-imposed silence. “I’m honestly saying to you, I told the players that I wanted to get us into Europe. At West Ham, we nearly got relegated and the following season we made Europe so I didn’t think it was impossible to be done, but every time I get back to Hill Dickinson I feel like it’s getting harder and harder.”
There is a method beneath the superstition. Everton’s home form has been patchy this season, with just four league wins at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Their away form, by contrast, has been exceptional. Saturday’s victory extended their run to 21 points from the last 30 available on the road, and only league leaders Arsenal have collected more away points this season.
Why can this Everton side believe?
The numbers tell a compelling story. Everton are now unbeaten in six away matches, a run that includes wins at Aston Villa, Fulham and now Newcastle United. They have shown they can compete with any side on their travels, grinding out results when required and producing moments of quality when it matters.
The character on display at St James’ Park was particularly encouraging. Jacob Ramsey’s deflected equaliser could have deflated a lesser side, but Beto restored the lead within two minutes. When Murphy levelled again with eight minutes remaining, the easy response would have been to settle for a point. Instead, Everton went again, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall driving forward and Barry bundling home the winner.
Then came Jordan Pickford’s moment of magic. Deep into stoppage time, Sandro Tonali met a clearance on the volley from 20 yards. The ball was destined for the top corner until Jordan Pickford, England’s number one, flung himself full stretch to tip it onto the crossbar. It was, by any measure, one of the saves of the season.
Moyes was understandably proud of his players. “We’ve done really well away from home, we’ve got a great record away from home and long may that continue,” he said.
Burnley visit Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday night. David Moyes will not be mentioning Europe in his team talk. But his players know what is at stake, and after Saturday’s heroics, they have every reason to believe.
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