BREAKING: Newcastle United have ‘very good’ Sven Botman ‘replacement’ as key contract decision highlighted
Newcastle United and Everton battled to a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s late penalty salvaging a point for Everton. The Magpies, aiming to climb to seventh place in the Premier League, missed their chance as Alexander Isak netted his 19th goal of the season early on. However, despite setting up what seemed like a second goal through Dan Burn, VAR intervened, disallowing the effort. In a tense finale, VAR once again played a role, awarding Everton a penalty after Paul Dummett fouled Ashley Young. Substitute Calvert-Lewin seized the opportunity, converting the penalty in the 88th minute to secure a draw for Everton.
Here are five talking points from the match…
Four Newcastle United changes as injuries force Eddie Howe’s hand
Newcastle’s head coach Eddie Howe implemented four changes from the squad that secured a thrilling 4-3 victory against West Ham United over the weekend. Jamaal Lascelles and Tino Livramento were sidelined due to injuries, while Anthony Gordon served a suspension against his former team, and Joe Willock found himself on the bench.
Emil Krafth earned his first Premier League start since May 2022, while Elliot Anderson and Lewis Hall marked their maiden league starts since October and November respectively. Harvey Barnes returned to the starting lineup after his impactful two-goal performance off the bench against West Ham.
Despite the reshuffled starting eleven, Newcastle exhibited a promising start to the match. They seized the lead when Barnes lofted a pass, deftly controlled by Isak, who skillfully maneuvered inside and displayed remarkable composure to slot the ball into the bottom right corner of the net.
Injury situation unlikely to improve soon for Newcastle
With a staggering 12 first-team players sidelined, Howe found himself compelled to include two goalkeepers on the bench, alongside young talents Joe White, Amadou Diallo, Alex Murphy, and Ben Parkinson to bolster the squad numbers. This shortage may persist in the upcoming match against Fulham, with Anthony Gordon being the sole expected returnee following his suspension.
Regarding the injuries to Miguel Almiron, Tino Livramento, and Kieran Trippier, Howe provided insights, stating, “While we don’t believe their injuries are severe, the congested fixture list will undoubtedly pose short-term challenges. Miguel is anticipated to be sidelined for approximately a month due to a knee ailment, while Tino faces a similar timeline due to an ankle injury. Kieran isn’t yet match fit, ruling him out for the forthcoming Fulham fixture. This remains the status quo as we continue to manage the absences.”
In the aftermath of the match, Hall exited the field in the final moments, with Howe attributing his substitution to ‘fatigue’. Additionally, Jacob Murphy appeared to be struggling following a challenge from James Tarkowski. Both players will undergo assessment ahead of the journey to Craven Cottage.
Newcastle United’s stand-in skipper leads by example
Dan Burn has faced criticism while playing at left-back for Newcastle this season. However, a return to his natural position at centre-back showcased a significant resurgence for the 31-year-old. Against a physical Everton side, Burn displayed dominance both in the air and on the ground.
Centre-back is the role where Burn initially made his mark at Newcastle, and it’s one he will need to readjust to, especially in light of the long-term ACL injuries to fellow centre-backs Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles. If Burn can sustain the level of performance he exhibited on Tuesday night, Newcastle’s defensive concerns might not escalate to the extent initially feared after the double injury blow.
“I thought Dan was exceptional tonight, especially considering the aerial threat Everton posed,” Howe acknowledged. “He showed composure, was strong in tackles, and overall delivered a very impressive performance. I’m delighted for Dan, given his recent form.”
Burn’s standout performance almost culminated in what could have been a match-winning goal, as he tapped in from Isak’s cross. However, a VAR check disallowed the goal for offside. It was a close decision, but replays indicated that Isak was marginally offside as Jacob Murphy attempted a quick free-kick.
A missed opportunity for Newcastle United
It has been more than four months since Newcastle last secured consecutive victories in the Premier League. For a team harboring aspirations of European competition, this recurring inability to string together wins could be detrimental, as evidenced by their failure to net a second goal against Everton, resulting in dropping crucial points at home once again.
Despite several close attempts in the second half, including efforts from Barnes and Bruno Guimaraes, perhaps the most glaring opportunity arose when Barnes delivered a pass to Isak, only for the striker to be thwarted by a goal-line clearance from Vitaliy Mykolenko.
“We had enough chances to win the game, emphasizing the significance of securing that second goal,” conceded Howe. “Everton always posed a threat with their ability to strike from set-pieces or with a single kick. Considering the relative youthfulness of our squad, I thought we executed that aspect of our game quite well. However, it’s that decisive touch and converting those opportunities into goals that we lacked.”
Since Christmas, Newcastle has faced three of the bottom five teams at home and failed to emerge victorious against any of them. This latest setback can be attributed to both a failure to capitalize on chances and an individual lapse in judgment.
Paul Dummett concedes a late penalty as contract decision looms
The way Paul Dummett wrestled Ashley Young to the ground in order to give up a penalty felt a lot like the Premier League season of 2014–15. However, in order to attempt and finish games, Newcastle is forced to rely on squad members who haven’t played much in recent seasons in 2024.
Perhaps back in 2015, Dummett would have got away with it. But the ever-scrutinising eye of VAR meant the 32-year-old was never going to escape punishment.
Just six minutes after being substituted for Hall, the Geordie player was thrust into the high-pressure environment of a Premier League match. It wasn’t an easy task for someone who had only seen four minutes of top-flight action over the past two years.
However, this situation raises an important question regarding Dummett’s contract status. While Newcastle is in dire need of defensive reinforcements due to the injury crisis, the question arises: can a club with aspirations of upward mobility justify extending contracts to players like Dummett?
While a gesture of goodwill with a new contract may have been acceptable after qualifying for the Champions League last season, sentimentality has limited room in a world governed by Financial Fair Play regulations and intense competition at the highest levels. Therefore, the decision to offer new contracts must be carefully weighed against the club’s ambitions and the demands of modern football.