Super-sub Thierno Barry strikes for Everton as Newcastle’s home woes continues | OneFootball

Thierno Barry came off the bench to fire Everton to Premier League victory at Newcastle for the second successive season in a dramatic conclusion to a madcap encounter.

Barry struck seconds after fellow substitute Jacob Murphy looked to have snatched a draw for the hosts to claim a 3-2 win and condemn the Magpies to a third successive league defeat at St James’ Park, although it took a stunning late save by Jordan Pickford to seal it.

Jarrad Branthwaite had headed the visitors into an early lead which was cancelled out by Jacob Ramsey, but Nick Pope’s blunder handed Beto a second goal on a plate.

Eddie Howe’s men, who had lost to Aston Villa and Brentford in their previous two home games, have now won just one of their seven most recent league fixtures and find themselves in the wrong half of the table heading into a brutal run of fixtures in three different competitions in March.

By contrast, the Toffees climbed into eighth place as they hit 40 points, just five adrift of the top six, after a committed display.

Everton started confidently to pin the hosts, for whom Nick Woltemade was once again playing a midfield role behind central striker Anthony Gordon, back inside their own half.

It was they who produced the first attempt on goal when the busy Iliman Ndiaye exchanged passes with Idrissa Gueye in midfield before whistling a long-range effort over, and they who took the lead when Branthwaite got ahead of Sandro Tonali to glance James Garner’s 20th-minute corner across Pope and in off the far post.

Pickford was beaten 13 minutes before the break when, after Joelinton’s strength had allowed him to pick out Tonali, the Italy international slid the ball in to Ramsey, whose shot clipped Branthwaite and looped over the keeper.

However, Everton were back in front just two minutes later, Beto pouncing from close range after Pope had fumbled Dwight McNeil’s shot into his path.

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Beto fired home Everton's second on the follow-up of Dwight McNeil's shot (Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)

Howe shuffled his pack as Woltemade pushed forward and Gordon went out to the left in a bid to create more problems, but the half-time whistle sounded with the visitors still a goal to the good.

Pope made a better job of dealing with a McNeil attempt two minutes after the restart, but with the home side still misfiring, chances were few and far between and Howe chose to send on Harvey Barnes and Murphy for Woltemade and Elanga in the search for fresh inspiration.

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Jacob Murphy looked to have earned Newcastle a point (REUTERS)

Branthwaite came to Pickford’s rescue after he had spilled Gordon’s 61st-minute attempt, the defender hacking clear before Malick Thiaw could pounce, but it was the German who was spared a red face four minutes later when he was muscled off the ball by Beto, who ran in on goal but with just Pope to beat, fired against the crossbar.

Murphy’s fine volley dragged Newcastle back into it with eight minutes remaining, but fellow substitute Barry restored his side’s advantage within seconds when Gordon lost possession and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall surged into the box before squaring for the striker to bundle home before Pickford tipped Tonali’s blistering volley on to the bar.