Player Ratings: A double whammy for the battleing Blues

It wasn’t pretty… in fact it was simply farcical at times, but Everton completed a brilliant double over Newcastle Utd. Just Everton’s third win of the season.

It was really a terrible exhibition of football from two awful teams. But for Evertonians, especially those at St James’s Park, it was a fantastic occasion to give Newcastle yet another bloody nose.

Player Ratings

• Jordan Pickford — 8. Once again returned to his old stomping ground and relished every second of the reception. Dominated his box from set-pieces, made crucial late claims to kill off pressure, and kept his cool while keeping the backline composed under heavy bombardment.
• James Garner — 6. Shifted effectively across the pitch and put in another tireless effort. Defended resolutely, track-back work was top tier, and gave Newcastle’s wide men very little joy down his flank.
• James Tarkowski — 7. Another solid display from Everton’s titanic man at the back. Put his head on everything high, produced two massive last-ditch blocks inside the box, and organized the defensive line brilliantly when Newcastle piled men forward.
• Jarrad Branthwaite — 8. Restored to the starting lineup and looked like he had never been out. Clean in possession, calm under pressure, and dealt comfortably with Newcastle’s physical aerial game.
• Vitaliy Mykolenko — 7. Disciplined and locked down his flank defensively. Kept tight to his man, restricted dangerous crosses, and managed the clock smartly as the match wore on.
• Merlin Röhl — 7. Started in central midfield alongside James Garner and put in a disciplined, non-stop 90-minute shift. He used his long stride and physical presence to break up Newcastle’s buildup play through the middle, tracking back reliably to protect the backline whenever the Magpies pushed bodies forward.
• Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall — 8 (Man of the Match). Operated on a completely different level. Picked passes through lines all night, including the exquisite through-ball to set up Tyrique George’s initial shot ahead of the opener. Covered vast ground and looked comfortably the best player on the pitch.
• Harrison Armstrong — 7. Brought into the starting XI and showed plenty of energy and graft. Missed a big opportunity to score late in the first half after a great delivery from Dewsbury-Hall, but his high work rate in the engine room was vital.
• Tyrique George — 6. A persistent threat down the wing. Showed sharp directness and it was his struck effort in the 49th minute that forced the rebound for Barry’s winner.
• Thierno Barry — 5. Still a complete klutz with the ball but he was there to tap home in the 49th minute. Battled hard against Newcastle’s central defenders all evening but rarely looked anything like a proper footballer.

Substitutes

• Brennan Johnson (80′ for Barry) — 3. Replaced Barry upfront but did nothing of any value, getting caught offside and jogging around aimlessly.
• Michael Keane (82′ for Branthwaite) — 7. Slotted directly into the central defence for Branthwaite as Newcastle launched high balls into the box late on. Won two crucial aerial headers immediately after coming on.
• Hayden Hackney (92′ for George) — 6. Brought on in the 92nd minute for Tyrique George to add an extra set of legs in midfield and burn off the clock. Well involved in the play while he was on.