Newcastle United 0-1 Everton - Depressing

The game started rather slowly, with both teams seemingly feeling each other out in the early stages.

Matt Ritchie looked lively though, and he almost picked out Christian Atsu with a delightful ball, but the Ghanaian could not reached it.

The Scotland international then almost come close to opening the scoring on two occasions. First, his 20-yard strike was well saved by Jordan Pickford, before he lashed the ball against the crossbar on the half-hour mark. Unlucky.

To sum up Newcastle over the last few months though, they conceded minutes later. Karl Darlow somehow failed to keep hold of the ball, allowing Wayne Rooney to tap home from close range. His fifteenth career goal against Newcastle and a very, very poor goal to concede.

Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

Other than the goal, Everton offered very little going forward, with Newcastle dominating the play.

They almost responded immediately, but yet again were denied by the woodwork. This time, Mikel Merino smashed a left-footed shot from 35-yards, but the ball hit the post and trickled across the goal-line. Agonising.

Atsu was lively down the left and he did well to get past his marker and pick out Dwight Gayle, but the striker could only manage a tame shot that went straight at the keeper.

The home side seeked an equaliser at the beginning of the second half, but Mo Diame could not get on the end of Florian Lejeune’s header at the far post.

Merino did his best to get his side back into the game too, but after a neat turn, he shot straight at Pickford.

It could have been two-nil and game over for the Magpies when Idrissa Gueye played in Gylfi Sigurdsson, but the Icelandic midfielder could only strike over the bar.

Ashley Williams also had a chance, but saw his header saved by Darlow in the Newcastle goal.

The game really seemed to fizzle out and get away from the Magpies. They struggled to carve out any clear opportunities in the final half an hour.

Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

Rafa Benitez brought on Ayoze Perez for Merino, but he failed to make any sort of impact on the game, and the points were heading to Merseyside.

To compound matters for the deflated Magpies, they had Jonjo Shelvey sent off at the death for an idiotic challenge on Gueye. A second booking for the midfielder, and his second red of the season.

The slide continues. This is beginning to look very, very ugly. If things do not change, and soon, relegation will be the result in May.