Newcastle 2-1 Everton: Sunday Mirror match report
Published 22:00 05/11/11 By Brian McNally
The magnificent Magpies soared to second place for the first time in eight years.
Admittedly, their lofty position was only for a few hours, but they did stretch their unbeaten league start to 11 games thanks to a wonderful Ryan Taylor strike.
Newcastle have now equalled Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers’ unbeaten 11-match start in 1994.
They are now unbeaten in 14 top-flight games stretching back to last season – their best sequence in six decades.
This hard-earned victory over a resilient Everton outfit failed to reach the heights of some Toon performances this season.
But once again Alan Pardew’s side showed their incredible team spirit – which is surely second to none in the Premier League.
Poor Everton, now beaten in five of their last six games, will feel slightly hard done by.
They were denied what looked a clear second half penalty when former Toffees midfielder Dan Gosling appeared to handle a Louis Saha drive.
And they also saw their French striker rattle a post in the first half.
But the visitors were undone by a careless own goal from John Heitinga with just 12 minutes gone, and left with a mountain to climb after Taylor’s ferocious, spinning drive put the home side 2-0 ahead.
Jack Rodwell pulled one back for Everton in first half injury-time.
But Newcastle, who had to reshuffle their pack after injuries to star midfielder Yohan Cabaye and Sylvain Marveaux, regrouped well after the break to show why they boast the best defence in the top-flight.
Goal-hero Taylor, a huge Liverpool fan, took special delight in scoring against Everton and dedicated his strike to baby son, Henry.
He said: “We deserved it.We have put a lot of effort into the season and we did it again today.
“It showed what we are all about.
“The goal was for my six-week-old baby Henry and it was one that I really enjoyed.
“We have some big challenges coming up.
“We go to the two Manchester clubs next. But we go full of confidence.”
Delighted Toon boss Pardew added: “We had to reshuffle after losing two players, but we showed our spirit and resilience.
“It was clearly one one of our best defensive displays.
“I don’t think Ryan Taylor is a great Evertonian, so he enjoyed that.
“It was a wonderful strike that he won’t forget. I think the fans will enjoy themselves in town tonight.
“I might sneak in and join them!”
The home side were gifted the vital first goal when poor Heitinga had a communication breakdown with goalkeeper Tim Howard and diverted a harmless-looking Danny Simpson cross into his own net.
But if the first goal was fortuitous then the second was fabulous.
Taylor showed sublime technique to chest down Rodwell’s clearing header.
Defenders stood off, giving him just a little space and time to flash a stunning volley past Howard and into the net off the underside of the bar for his third goal of the season.
Saha was unlucky to see an angled drive come off the inside of Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul’s left-hand post.
Battling Rodwell headed Everton back into the game 90 seconds into first-half injury time from Royston Drenthe’s corner.
But Everton boss David Moyes was left fuming when referee Andre Marriner failed to spot a blatant handball by Gosling in the box, which deflected a goal bound shot wide of the post to deny Saha an equaliser.
Moyes moaned: “It was a stonewall penalty.
“It hit his hand and was going in as well.
“We came here not expecting to get anything. But we handed Newcastle the initiative with two soft goals – the own goal was a joke.”
As Pardew admits, good things eventually come to an end. The Magpies’ incredible run will come under serious challenge over the next three games. They travel to leaders Manchester City, then visit champs Manchester United before entertaining Chelsea.
But a buoyant Toon boss insists that such is the confidence from the long unbeaten run that anything is possible with this cock-a-hoop Newcastle team.
VERDICT: Not Newcastle's classiest display but it was a gritty and determined effort good enough to stretch the unbeaten run to 14 top-flight games. But Ryan Taylor's goal was fit to win any match.
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THE BIG ISSUE: Is Demba Ba good enough to wear the precious number nine shirt?
Not one of the Senegal striker's better games as he struggled to break free of Phil Jagielka and John Heitinga. But his goals record of eight goals from eight Premier League starts is proof that he has the essential quality that makes a Newcastle number 9. He is certainly as good as Oba Martins who wore it.
The long-term doubt that surrounds him is the knee injury that Stoke boss Tony Pulis described as a ticking time bomb. But Ba has shown no sign of it hindering him. And his aeriel threat- he has scored more headed Premier League goals than anyone else in 2011- is outstanding.
All the signs are that Alan Pardew has someone else in mind for the number 9 shirt but Ba would certainly not disgrace it.
