Everton 2-2 Newcastle: Florian Lejeune nets two injury-time goals to salvage unlikely point

Report and highlights as Toon score twice in injury time to leave Everton stunned

Wednesday 22 January 2020 15:54, UK

Two goals in injury-time from Florian Lejeune grabbed Newcastle the most unlikely point as Everton threw away a 2-0 goal lead to draw 2-2.

As the game ticked deep into stoppage time, Everton looked to have the game all sewn up after Moise Kean scored his first goal for the club (30) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin grabbed his 10th Premier League goal of the campaign (54).

Jordan Pickford - on his 100th Premier League start - did not have a save to make until injury-time as Steve Bruce's side were outplayed all over the pitch and did not register a shot on target until the mesmerising late salvo.

Lejeune acrobatically hooked one home following a set piece (90+4) and then the substitute left Goodison Park stunned by scrambling home the most dramatic equaliser (90+5) that needed goal-line technology to award the goal.

It was the centre-back's first two goals for Newcastle as he became the unlikely hero.

From toothless to tremendous: Toon's stoppage time transformation

Newcastle set up in their usual deep defensive block - as they had in their 1-0 win over Chelsea - but failed to deal with the clever movement of Bernard off the left wing.

With no Allan Saint-Maximin in the Newcastle squad due to injury, the Toon were toothless in attack and Djibril Sidibe tested Martin Dubravka from distance as did Kean. It was one-way traffic towards Martin Dubravka's goal and Kean got the goal his performance merited on 33 minutes.

He controlling Bernard's lobbed pass perfectly and fired straight through Dubravka for his first goal in 21 appearances for the club.

Joelinton headed over following Isaac Hayden's cross just before the break but it was a tame effort and summed up his overall performance level on another tough evening for the centre forward.

Theo Walcott set up Bernard who shot over from a tight angle after the break before Lucas Digne's slide-rule pass sent Calvert-Lewin into space. The striker took advantage of a poor attempted interception from Jamaal Lascelles and curled a fantastic effort into the far corner.

Newcastle, who still hadn't registered a shot on target by this point, were fortunate not to concede more with Calvert-Lewin testing Dubravka, Yerry Mina heading over when well placed and Joelinton almost deflecting one past his goalkeeper.

Bruce even thought it necessary to remove his only striker in the form of Joelinton in order to stem the tide from Everton, who sensed dishing out a thrashing.

Despite not finding the third goal, the Toffees were cruising deep into four minutes of stoppage time. However, Everton's set-piece frailties came back to haunt them as Lejeune's skilful bicycle kick following a late corner flew past Pickford. Even the Newcastle players struggled to believe it was anything more than a consolation as they didn't even get the ball out of the net.

But there was still time for one last free-kick to be launched into the box and Fabian Schar's effort from a tight angle ricocheted off the post which triggered a goalmouth scramble that ended with Lejeune somehow forcing home from close range through a host of bodies.

Man of the match: Moise Kean

Finally, we're starting to see the real Moise Kean. This was a performance full of power, energy, class and a cool finish just when Everton needed an opening goal.

Barely a month ago, Kean was taken off by caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson just 19 minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute and it looked like his Everton future could be in serious doubt.

However, the 19-year-old Italy international has been given a chance to impress by Carlo Ancelotti and looks stronger and more motivated after making back-to-back starts for the first time as an Everton player. Premier League defences beware.

What the managers said

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti said: "We are really disappointed as we played really well and deserved to win. It was a good performance, but you have to keep going. There are some things in football you can't control and in the last two minutes we couldn't control - we were unlucky."

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce said: "With all the problems we've had out there to get two goals in injury time is remarkable. They didn't give up despite the problems. In the last five to 10 minutes we asked a question and got the goals. Everton are scratching their heads thinking 'what has just happened'. I had five centre halves on the pitch and a midfielder playing centre forward - we just had a lot of bodies out there. It was remarkable."

'I can't believe it'

Paul Merson speaking on Soccer Saturday: "I can't believe it's ended up Desmond - fair play to Newcastle. I liked what they did for the last goal allowing the defender rather than the goalkeeper take the free kick - it was a good ball in. I just can't believe it's ended 2-2. Everton played well and at one point it looked like Newcastle half wrote this game off, taking off a striker for a centre half. Carlo Ancelotti won't believe it."

Opta stats - Newcastle's late show

There were just 102 seconds between Newcastle's two goals against Everton; it is also the first time in Premier League history that the Magpies have scored two goals in the 90th minute onwards in a single game.
Everton have conceded seven goals in the 90th minute onwards in the Premier League this season; four more than any other side in the division.
Newcastle defenders have scored 12 goals in the Premier League this season; four more than any other side in the competition.
Calvert-Lewin is the first Englishman to score 10+ goals in a Premier League season for Everton since Wayne Rooney in 2017-18.
Kean has scored his first goal for Everton with what was his 26th shot in all competitions; he's the first Italian to score a Premier League goal for the Toffees since Alessandro Pistone in April 2002. Furthermore, he is the first Italian to score under Carlo Ancelotti in the Premier League.

What's next?

Everton now have 10 days off before facing Watford in the Premier League on February 1 while Newcastle host Oxford United in the FA Cup on Saturday.

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