Jarrad Branthwaite got Everton off to a brilliant start last time out on Tyneside.
The England international made a fantastic darting run across Sandro Tonali to flick a corner from James Garner beyond Nick Pope, setting Everton on the way to yet another three points in an away game. It was the seventh away win from 14 Premier League games so far this season.
While many acknowledged the admirable deftness of the header from Jarrad Branthwaite, nobody seems to be talking about what James Tarkowski did to make the goal happen.
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James Tarkowski displayed immense footballing intelligence to ensure Jarrad Branthwaite goal stood
After rewatching the 3-2 win at Newcastle, we noticed Tarkowski was stood in an offside position right beside Pope after Branthwaite flicked the ball on.
It would have been incredibly easy for the Everton No.6 to instinctively react and try to score a goal for himself, but he had the spatial awareness to understand he was offside, and made sure to duck out of the way.
That may sound simple enough in writing, but for Tarkowski to have that speed of thought within a millisecond of Branthwaite winning the ball is absolutely incredible. It should not go unspoken about.
Even if the 33-year-old had made the slightest movement towards the ball without touching it, those in the VAR booth surely would have chalked the goal off on the basis of him interfering while in an offside position.
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The corner from Garner was a wicked delivery, but Tarkowski can lay as much claim to an assist for the goal as the Everton No.37 can after his moment of genius.
Beto moment serves up further evidence that Everton are a street-smart side under David Moyes
David Moyes was overseeing his 569th game in charge of Everton at Newcastle last time out, and the experience of the wily Glaswegian looks to be rubbing off on his players.
Matches Wins Draws Losses Goals Points
569 241 148 180 807:695 871
Not only did Tarkowski show superb awareness to leave the ball for the opener, but Beto also did what all good strikers should do to put Everton 2-1 ahead when following in, after a speculative shot from Dwight McNeil.
It seemed a routine save for Pope, so it would have been understandable had the Everton No.9 simply opted not to gamble and stood still.
However, as Beto did to snatch a point in the 97th minute at Brighton, the Guinea-Bissau international chanced his luck and received the ultimate reward yet again.
Is Moyes still underappreciated by Everton fans for the job he’s doing? 🤔
Everton manager David Moyes.
Moyes could still improve in terms of giving young talents more opportunities to develop, but his know-how in the Premier League is certainly being embodied by his more senior players.
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