LIVERPOOL: Alex Iwobi scored in the ninth minute of stoppage time as desperate Everton secured what could be a precious three points in their battle with relegation following a 1-0 win over Newcastle United in the Premier League on Thursday.

Everton had been reduced to 10 men following a red card for midfielder Allan on 83 minutes but, roared on by a vociferous home crowd, found a winning moment as Iwobi combined with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and side-footed the ball into the net.

The goal came in what turned out to be 17 minutes of stoppage time after the game was halted at the start of the second half when a pitch invader tied himself to a post in the goal at the Gwladys Street end of the ground and took a while to be removed.

Everton move three points clear of the relegation zone with 25 points from 27 games, while Newcastle are in 14th place with 31 points from 29 matches.

“The whole evening was a big night for us. Nothing is done, we have 11 games to go now but we were all waiting for this moment,” said Everton manager Frank Lampard. “A night of fight, togetherness and that all exploded around the stadium when we scored.”

When this fixture was postponed in late December due to an outbreak of coronavirus cases, it was Newcastle who were rooted in the bottom three.

However, the Magpies’ defeat at Chelsea on Sunday was their first in 10 games as the investment of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund has made an instant impact in their first transfer window.

“It is very disappointing. I don’t know why the second half was lacking in that bit of quality,” Newcastle coach Eddie Howe said. “It was our game to win and we didn’t grab that opportunity.”

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2022