Revealed: What Jordan Pickford did to Newcastle United fans in Everton win at Goodison Park
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford ran over to the away fans to celebrate Dwight McNeil’s opening goal against Newcastle United on Thursday night, according to Daily Mail journalist Lewis Steele.
There were ugly scenes after the full-time whistle as Everton claimed a 3-0 victory over the Magpies at Goodison Park and it seems as though Pickford’s celebrations played a role.
Three goals in the final 15 minutes from McNeil, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Beto helped the Toffees to climb out of the relegation zone for the first time since the 10-point deduction. Celebrations were slightly soured, however.
With Pickford egged on by the Magpies during a tightly fought affair between the two sides, McNeil blasted home the opener and the goalkeeper reacted.
“The travelling Newcastle fans played their part, too – reminding former Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford of their feelings towards him,” Lewis Steele wrote for the Daily Mail on Friday (8 December, page 79).
“Pickford returned the favour – celebrating Dwight McNeil’s opener by running towards the away end.”
Passion is essential
Pickford’s reaction is exactly what the Toffees will have been hoping to see. The atmosphere around the club is hugely positive, with most of it down to the way the fans have reacted to the Premier League’s punishment for a profit and sustainability breach.
But the players have played their part too, having already escaped the relegation zone because of vital wins over Nottingham Forest and Newcastle. Sean Dyche and his men have a long season ahead of them but currently sit one point above 18th-place Luton Town.
A 10-point deduction can either make or break a player. Luckily for Everton, the whole community has come together rather than allowing it to wedge in between them The hatred of the Premier League will only spur the team on.
With Everton’s run of games, it was hugely important to grab all six points in their previous two games. They welcome Chelsea to Goodison Park before a trip to strugglers Burnley, with Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Wolves all to play before the turn of the New Year.
It is going to be a struggle and a slog but this squad is more than capable of avoiding the disaster of relegation and pulling off performances as they did against Newcastle on Thursday night.
In other Everton news, Tottenham are reportedly interested in signing both Ben Godfrey and Jarrad Branthwaite