Over the first minutes at St. James's part, Everton looked like a side playing without two of its best players, which is exactly what they are. As if to pick up from their mid-week loss to Reading, Everton seemed ... just kind of there, capable speed bumps for a Newcastle side with whom they would normally compete. Even after Leon Best has put Newcastle up after 22 minutes, the Toffees looked flat. They don't look ready to overcome the losses of Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill.
Newcastle Vs. Everton: Leons Best And Osman Trade Goals
In Best's goal, Fellaini may have helped. Newcastle had Everton's defense pushed deep into their own area when defender Mike Williamson, over the ball in the middle of the area, laid the ball off to the left. Kevin Nolan took a left-footed shot at goal, with the resulting ball coming to Best standing in the middle of the area. The Ireland international had an easy, go-ahead goal.
Nine minutes later, however, Everton woke up, with a rare sign of life from Mikel Arteta sparking an equalizer. The Everton star, in the midst of a down year, carried the ball in from the left, finding Leon Osman in the middle of the area. While that would normally be bad news, with Osman displaying a daft touch around goal in recent matches, the midfielder was able to convert. In the 32nd minute, the Toffess had equalized.
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