Everton fell to a disappointing 4-1 Premier League defeat to Newcastle United at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday evening - just days after beating Manchester United
Vitaliy Mykolenko looks dejected during Everton's 4-1 defeat to Newcastle United
Vitaliy Mykolenko looks dejected during Everton's 4-1 defeat to Newcastle United
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The inquest had already started long before Craig Pawson blew his whistle for full-time at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Just a couple of days after Everton's players produced their best performance of the season - against Manchester United - everyone at the club came back down to earth with a bump against Newcastle United.
The Magpies coasted to their first Premier League away win since April with a 4-1 victory that saw Malick Thiaw score the fastest goal of the season after just 55 seconds. From there, Eddie Howe's side never looked back and, although the Blues did rally a little bit after falling behind, by the time the half-time whistle went, they were 3-0 down and, in the eyes of some, already dead and buried.
With the knowledge their side have only scored three times just once this season, some supporters headed home at the break, while James Tarkowski and Jordan Pickford were involved in their own debrief after Nick Woltemade added a third in first-half stoppage time.
Pickford's howler had already presented Howe's side with a second goal when he allowed Lewis Miley's shot to go right through him.
The England international could then do nothing to prevent Thiaw scoring his second of the game when he headed home just before the hour mark.
Even Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scoring the best goal of the game - after Thierno Barry's personal luck showed no sign of changing - was little consolation.
"I think from the get-go we were very flat," Blues' defender Jake O’Brien admitted. "We gave them opportunities that on another day we wouldn't.
"They took them opportunities and from there it was an uphill battle. I think from the first touch we gave them an opportunity straightaway, and we were lucky to come away with Jordan saving that, but minutes later they score and it gives them momentum going into the game."
Before the Republic of Ireland international continued in an honest post-match assessment: "At times I think we kept the ball well, but just left ourselves wide open.
"They took their chances, they were sloppy chances and on another day we will defend them. That is just the way football is.
"You are happy on Monday and, come today, it is another thing, but I think it is important that we put it behind us and go into Tuesday with a positive mindset and come away with three points."
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Next up for David Moyes and his side is a trip to the South Coast to take on Bournemouth on Tuesday night. The Vitality Stadium has been far from a happy hunting ground for the Blues in recent years.
While the Cherries return home on the back of a 3-2 loss to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, Andoni Iraola's side have, though, gone unbeaten in all six of their Premier League matches at home so far this term.
"I think it is important that the game is Tuesday and we put (Newcastle) behind us and we go again because there are a lot of games coming up," O'Brien said.
"There is a lot of points to take, so it is important we go into it with a new mindset and come away with something."
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