Controversy soured Everton’s trip to Newcastle United today.
Alan Shearer has slammed the ‘terrible decision’ not to send off Everton’s Jordan Pickford for his tackle on Newcastle United hitman Salomon Rondon today.
Boos echoed around St James’s Park on 30 minutes when referee Lee Mason only awarded Newcastle a penalty after the Everton star clattered Rondon following a goalkeeping error.
Pickford saved the resulting penalty from Matt Ritchie, before the Toffees went up the other end and made it 2-0 through Richarlison a minute later.
Rafael Benitez’s side went into the game only four points clear of the relegation zone, and Newcastle icon Shearer was left fuming over the decision to allow Pickford to continue.
The Magpies did get some justice midway through the second half when the West Brom-owned striker halved the deficit.
There was even more justice when the Everton keeper fumbled a Miguel Almiron shot, before Ayoze Perez turned home the equaliser.
The Spanish attacker then sent home fans wild on 84 minutes by grabbing a dramatic winner to seal a huge win for Benitez’s troops, who showed an abundance of character.
It would’ve been easy to feel sorry for themselves at half-time as a result of what was a blatant refereeing error, but Newcastle, to their credit, turned things around to move six points clear of danger.
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