Defensive horror show in 4-1 defeat to Newcastle
Everton were miles off the required level against Newcastle United on Saturday evening, collapsing to a heavy 4-1 defeat in the Premier League with issues evident all over the pitch. Malick Thiaw struck inside the first minute to pile immediate pressure on David Moyes’ side, and Lewis Miley soon doubled the lead after some incredibly poor defending.
Nick Woltemade made it 3-0 before half-time, prompting loud jeers from the Hill Dickinson Stadium crowd. When Thiaw added his second and Newcastle’s fourth, the scoreline underlined just how bad things had become, with defensive lapses and Jordan Pickford’s mistakes contributing to a grim night for Everton.
Gray: Everton “lack cutting edge” and Moyes has no answers
Yet, despite the obvious problems at the back, former Everton striker Andy Gray believes the real issue lies further up the pitch. The Toffees have scored just 14 goals in 13 Premier League games, a tally better only than Leeds United, Wolves and Nottingham Forest, and they have failed to score in four matches already this season.
For Gray, that record shows a team that is clueless in attack, and he questions whether Moyes knows how to solve it. Speaking on beIN Sports, the Everton legend said: “Once again, the lack of cutting edge, the lack of threat at the top end of the pitch was there for all to see.”
In Gray’s view, until Everton find a way to become genuinely dangerous in the final third, their defensive errors will only look worse and results like the Newcastle defeat will continue to define their season.
