Jack Grealish will do well to get back into the Everton starting lineup when he returns to the squad – as David Moyes’s side are doing just fine without him. Newcastle were condemned to a second defeat in five days by Moyes’s young team, with a second-half goal from Thierno Barry giving Everton victory against 10 men at St James’ Park after the substitute Jacob Ramsey’s late red card. And there are still more questions than answers about Matthias Jaissle’s new-look side following a summer of transition at the club, and supporters again voiced their disapproval at the end of the game.
Moyes was reluctant to talk about Grealish’s situation, stating simply that the winger was “unavailable” for a second successive game following a breach of club discipline. But, pressed if there was a way back for the winger, he added: “Of course there is.” Asked about the resilience of his youthful team, Moyes added: “They’re so good, they give everything they’ve got. They’re a brilliant group of players.
We beat Newcastle on Thursday night, and to beat them again today, it’s not an easy thing to do for any club.” Jaissle acknowledged the reaction of Newcastle supporters to the performance and the result. We need to analyse it now in detail. It’s also clear that I have the responsibility, and I also take that as manager of this club.
We need to do things better.” Newcastle fans had made their feelings about the 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat away to Everton last Thursday clear to Jaissle, who has found himself under pressure early in his tenure. By the time he had gone on to the pitch at Hill Dickinson Stadium to acknowledge their backing, most of the 7,732 travelling supporters had headed for the exits, and St James’ Park emptied just as quickly after the home loss. Eddie Howe was always going to be a hard act to follow given what he achieved in his first four years as head coach at St James’ Park, but the summer departures of big-name players, and his own 11th-hour arrival, has made the job even harder for Jaissle.
Frustration bubbled away beneath the surface at St James’ Park, a stadium which can be a cauldron when fans are given something to shout about. But the decibel levels were rarely raised in the first period. Newcastle’s Harvey Barnes cut inside late in the half, and an awkward deflection off Jarrad Branthwaite momentarily had Jordan Pickford worried, but, in truth, neither he nor Lukas Hornicek in the home goal were troubled in the first 45 minutes.
Jake O’Brien and Harrison Armstrong had chances for Everton late in the half, but both shot wide. Hornicek, however, was finally tested early in the second half – and a mistake from him handed Barry a goal. The goalkeeper let a shot from the left from Tyrique George squirm under his body, and Barry gratefully tapped the ball into an empty net.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
