Introduction
Newcastle United delivered a resounding victory on their visit to Everton, with Malick Thiaw's brace and goals from Nick Woltemade and Lewis Miley giving the Magpies the win in this Premier League encounter at Hill Dickinson Stadium on 29th November 2025. Thiaw scored the fastest goal of the season after just 55 seconds as Newcastle coasted to their first Premier League away win since April with a 4-1 victory, whilst Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall managed a consolation for the hosts in the 70th minute.
The match was crucial for both sides' league ambitions, with David Moyes' Everton sitting 11th hoping to build on their recent victory over Manchester United, whilst Eddie Howe's Newcastle were languishing in 14th position and desperately needed points to climb away from the bottom half of the table.
Tactical Analysis
From our analysis of the team selections, both managers opted for attacking formations that would ultimately favour Newcastle's clinical approach. Everton deployed their familiar 4-2-3-1 system with Pickford in goal, protected by a back four of Mykolenko, Tarkowski, Keane, and Garner. The midfield duo of Alcaraz and Iroegbunam provided the base, with Grealish, Dewsbury-Hall, and Ndiaye supporting lone striker Barry.
Newcastle countered with a 4-3-3 formation, featuring Ramsdale making his first league start after Pope's injury. The defensive line of Hall, Thiaw, Burn, and Livramento looked solid throughout, whilst the midfield triumvirate of Joelinton, Tonali, and Guimarães controlled the tempo. The front three of Barnes, Woltemade, and Murphy provided the attacking threat.
We noticed that Newcastle's tactical approach was far more cohesive from the opening whistle. Their high press disrupted Everton's build-up play consistently, whilst their quick transitions between defence and attack caught the hosts off guard repeatedly. The Magpies' wing play was particularly effective, with Barnes and Murphy stretching the game and creating space for the central players to exploit.
According to our observation, Everton's defensive organisation was woeful, particularly in the first half. The three goals they conceded in the first half were a result of defensive shortcomings, with Newcastle finding it far too easy to carve through their backline. The substitutions made by both managers in the second half had minimal impact on the game's trajectory, with Newcastle's early dominance proving decisive.
Technical Performance
In our view, Newcastle's technical execution was superior throughout the encounter. Their passing accuracy of approximately 53% possession translated into more meaningful attacking phases, whilst Everton struggled to maintain any sustained pressure despite having marginally more corners (8-7).
We observed that Newcastle's attacking movements were crisp and purposeful. Ramsdale's first contribution of note was to claim a cross and launch a counter-attack which led to Woltemade lobbing Pickford after being left on his own in the middle. This exemplified the Magpies' clinical approach to transitional play.
From our analysis, Everton's defensive organisation completely collapsed in key moments. The hosts managed just 2 shots on target from 9 total attempts, whilst Newcastle converted 4 goals from 8 shots on target - a remarkable conversion rate that highlighted their clinical finishing. The goalkeeper performances differed markedly, with Pickford enduring a nightmare evening whilst Ramsdale enjoyed a comfortable debut.
We noticed that both teams maintained discipline throughout, with no cards issued despite 10 combined fouls. This suggested the match was played in good spirit despite the one-sided scoreline.
Statistical Analysis
The statistics tell a compelling story of Newcastle's efficiency versus Everton's wastefulness. With possession split relatively evenly (47%-53%), the crucial difference lay in shot conversion. Newcastle's 8 shots on target from 11 total attempts yielded 4 goals, demonstrating clinical finishing that Everton simply couldn't match with their 2 efforts on target from 9 shots.
According to our observation, the corner count of 8-7 in Everton's favour suggested they created some threatening situations, yet their inability to capitalise highlighted deeper tactical issues. The foul count remaining low (4-6) and the absence of any cards indicated both teams maintained their discipline despite the frustrating nature of the contest for the hosts.
We noted that Newcastle had scored as many in 45 minutes at Hill Dickinson Stadium as they had at every other Premier League away ground combined this season, emphasising just how significant this performance was for Howe's side.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Everton Strengths:
- Maintained possession reasonably well in patches during the first half
- Dewsbury-Hall's movement and eventual goal showed quality in the final third
- Set-piece delivery created some dangerous moments
Everton Weaknesses:
- Catastrophic defensive organisation, particularly in the first half
- Poor shot conversion and lack of clinical finishing
- Inability to cope with Newcastle's high press and quick transitions
- Mental fragility after conceding early
Newcastle Strengths:
- Clinical finishing and ruthless conversion of chances
- Excellent defensive organisation and disciplined shape
- Effective high press that disrupted Everton's rhythm
- Quick transitions from defence to attack
- Strong mental resilience and game management
Newcastle Weaknesses:
- Slightly lower possession statistics suggest they could dominate games more
- Defensive concentration dropped slightly in the second half
Key Moments
The match was effectively decided in the opening minute when Malick Thiaw scored the fastest goal of the season after just 55 seconds. This early strike set the tone for what would become a comfortable evening for the visitors.
Lewis Miley's 25th-minute goal doubled Newcastle's advantage at a crucial juncture, coming just as Everton had begun to settle into the contest. From our analysis, this was the moment that truly knocked the wind out of the hosts' sails.
We observed that Woltemade's goal in first-half stoppage time was perhaps the most demoralising moment for Everton. Although the crossbar came to Pickford's rescue by keeping out Lewis Hall's deflected shot, Nick Woltemade put the game out of reach in first-half stoppage time.
Thiaw's second goal in the 58th minute effectively ended any hopes of an Everton comeback, whilst Dewsbury-Hall's 70th-minute consolation provided only brief respite for the increasingly frustrated home supporters. A number of fans were not prepared to give any more of their Saturday night to a lost cause and made their exits at half-time.
Player Ratings
Everton
- Jordan Pickford (4/10): Endured a torrid evening with little protection from his defence, could do little about most of the goals but his distribution was poor
- James Tarkowski (3/10): Completely overwhelmed by Newcastle's attacking movement, failed to organise the defence effectively
- Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (6/10): The one bright spark for Everton, took his goal well and showed quality in possession when others struggled
- Jack Grealish (5/10): Created some half-chances but couldn't impose himself on the game when Everton needed inspiration
- Neal Barry (4/10): Isolated up front and struggled to hold up play effectively, received little service from midfield
Newcastle
- Malick Thiaw (9/10): Dominated both boxes with two well-taken goals, excellent defensive positioning throughout the contest
- Nick Woltemade (8/10): Clinical finishing for his goal and excellent movement in the final third, caused constant problems for Everton's defence
- Lewis Miley (7/10): Controlled the midfield battle and took his goal superbly, excellent work rate and positional awareness
- Aaron Ramsdale (7/10): Confident debut performance with good distribution and commanding presence, barely tested but did what was required
- Bruno Guimarães (7/10): Dictated the tempo from deep and provided the platform for Newcastle's attacking players to flourish
Overall Summary
From our tactical point of view, Newcastle thoroughly deserved their comprehensive victory. The Magpies were superior in every department, combining defensive solidity with clinical attacking play that Everton simply couldn't match.
We believe that Newcastle's early goal was crucial in setting the tone, but their ability to maintain that intensity throughout the first half was what truly separated the sides. Everton showed none of the fight and resilience in evidence during Monday's 10-man win at Old Trafford, suggesting this was as much about mental fragility as tactical deficiencies.
According to our analysis, Everton must address their defensive organisation immediately, whilst Newcastle can take enormous confidence from this performance. The Magpies demonstrated that when they combine their technical quality with the right mentality, they can compete with any side in the Premier League.
Future Outlook
This result significantly impacts both teams' trajectory in the Premier League. Newcastle, now within four points of fourth, have given themselves genuine hope of securing European qualification, whilst Everton's position becomes more precarious despite their recent good form.
In our view, Newcastle's tactical evolution under Howe appears to be reaching maturity. The combination of defensive solidity and attacking fluidity displayed here suggests they could mount a serious challenge for European places if they maintain this standard.
For Everton, this defeat exposes fundamental defensive weaknesses that David Moyes must address quickly. We expect to see changes in personnel and possibly tactical approach in their upcoming fixtures, as the current system appears too vulnerable to quick transitions and high pressing.
From our analysis, this match could prove to be a turning point for both sides - Newcastle gaining momentum for a potential top-six challenge, whilst Everton may need to reassess their ambitions and focus on consolidating their Premier League status.