Anthony Gordon's return to Goodison Park was always going to be a focal point, but the Newcastle forward likely didn't envision this outcome. Gordon's penalty was saved by his England teammate Jordan Pickford as Everton and Newcastle played out a thrilling goalless draw. The former Everton player also missed opportunities from open play, and Eddie Howe's team couldn't capitalize on their impressive performance against Manchester City last weekend. They also narrowly avoided conceding a penalty when Dan Burn brought down Dominic Calvert-Lewin in front of goal, but VAR ruled in their favor.
The first half was packed with action, with VAR, Pickford, and, predictably, Gordon taking center stage. Everton's determined start was marred by further disruptions to their defense. Sean Dyche had fielded his strongest backline of the season against Crystal Palace, but injuries forced changes, with James Garner filling in at right-back and Ashley Young switching to the left. Newcastle, despite controlling midfield through Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães, couldn't fully exploit their advantage in the first half.
Guimarães nearly volleyed Newcastle into an early lead, but Iliman Ndiaye's last-ditch clearance saved Everton. Everton thought they had scored when Garner delivered a superb cross, and Abdoulaye Doucouré headed towards the top corner, but VAR ruled it offside. VAR intervened again when James Tarkowski fouled Tonali, awarding Newcastle a penalty. Gordon, booed by his former fans, stepped up, but Pickford saved his penalty, much to the delight of Goodison Park.
Gordon's frustrations continued when he missed a free header in first-half stoppage time. In the second half, he caused Everton problems from the flanks, but Tarkowski's block denied Tonali. Pickford saved from Miguel Almirón, and Idrissa Gueye cleared Tonali's header off the line. Everton's chances were limited, but Calvert-Lewin's shot was saved by Nick Pope. Burn's challenge on Calvert-Lewin looked like a penalty, but VAR ruled otherwise. Gueye missed a golden opportunity to score, blazing over an open goal from close range.
