Everton 3-0 Newcastle: Sean Dyche's men move out of the bottom three after late blitz... as Dwight McNeil and Abdoulaye Doucoure punish Kieran Tripper gaffes before Beto seals win

If only Everton’s accountants were as good at maths as their supporters, who celebrated this victory lifting their team into the top half of the Premier League. At least, that is, in a world where they weren’t docked 10 points for naively flaunting financial rules.

As it is, they have scrambled from the bottom three for the first time since last month’s sanction, and the bean counters who failed to protect the club will be breathing a sight of relief.

Sean Dyche, meanwhile, continues to sprinkle his magic beans. This was Everton’s third win in four matches. They would, in that alternate universe, only be six points behind Newcastle.

Another points deduction incoming? Bring it on. If anything, they should get it out of the way while it looks like Dyche and his players have plenty to spare on those at the bottom.

This was the Dogs of War versus the Dogs of Wor and Newcastle came into it with their tails wagging. Anthony Gordon, on his return to Goodison Park, was among the country’s most in-form players, making the £40million Newcastle invested in January look cheap.

But come the end Eddie Howe and his team were licking their wounds. They had the felt the bark and bite of a resurgent Everton. ‘Anthony Gordon, what’s the score?’ they howled into the night. ‘Premier League, what’s the score?’ very quickly followed. There is no shortage of motivation for the Toffees right now.

Not that this was easy. Everton aren’t great at home and Newcastle aren’t great away - one win apiece before this - and so we looked set for a predictable stalemate approaching the final 10 minutes. 

That was when Everton belatedly found their shooting boots and shot down their visitors, whose wounds were, in part, self-inflicted.

Kieran Trippier has not put a foot wrong all season. He was allowed one mistake, perhaps even two or three. So how cruel it was that he paid the ultimate price with his first three missteps of the entire campaign. The England defender was at fault for all three Everton goals.

First, on 79 minutes, he gifted the ball to Dwight McNeill and the winger ran through to score a goal that was beginning to feel unlikely.

Seven minutes later and Trippier lost out to Jack Harrison, who pulled back for Abdoulaye Doucoure to steer home from 12 yards. Game over, but Trippier’s misery was not and, deep into injury-time, he was guilty of playing Beto onside and the substitute finished low beneath Martin Dubravka. 

It was night to forget for Trippier, and so too Gordon, despite being his side’s best player.

Seamus Coleman had returned to skipper Everton after seven months out with a knee injury. A quiet night feeling his way back in? Not a chance. He was up against Gordon, whose every touch was booed and scrutinised. 

Coleman at least had Ashley Young for support, a combined 73 years out to shackle a 22-year-old. Gordon had good spells for Everton but he was never this good, monopolising conversation around England’s uncapped contenders for Euro 2024.

But the young man did not look like an England hopeful against the old boys early on. Coleman dribbled by him at one point - the home fans liked that - and Young made a tackle that won just as hearty a cheer. Twenty minutes in and Gordon switched wings.

Everton should have been in front by then. But given they had scored just five home goals from 124 shots before this game, it shouldn’t really have been a surprise that 11 more passed without conversion come the half hour. Still, it told of their early superiority.

Newcastle were not without moments and, arguably, the better chances. Miguel Almiron and Alexander Isak both fluffed close-range efforts.

Here was an advert for ugly defending and just as brutal finishing, at both ends. Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin could not even hit the target from four yards when a game of penalty-box pinball gave him the chance to light up Goodison. He volleyed over and immediately looked around for an offside flag, no doubt hoping it would not have counted. Nope, he was two yards on, unmarked in the goalmouth.

As one local said as he made for the relative warmth of the concourse after 45 minutes, ‘That was like watching a repeat’.

And so the second half began with a sense of deja vu. Calvert-Lewin failed to connect properly with a header from Dwight McNeill’s corner but defender Jamaal Lascelles, inadvertently, did his job for him, turning towards goal with his midriff. Dubravka didn’t know too much about the save, but he kept it out all the same. Finally, a save of note. 

Gordon’s evening was not getting any better. The sound of those jeers quickly followed by cheers told you that much. The cause of home merriment this time was a 20-yard shot that landed among the same section of fans unnerved by Calvert-Lewin earlier.

But the Newcastle winger looked set to wipe smiles from faces when he robbed James Tarkowksi in the area on the hour. 

One-on-one with Pickford, Gordon snatched at the chance and his old team-mate did not have to move. They laughed their socks, hats, gloves and mittens off in the Park End behind the goal.

This was turning into shooting practice for Gordon - for once, he looked like he needed it - and another effort from range ballooned over. 

Those misses would come back to haunt him, but it is Trippier who will be suffering the worst of the nightmares.