Newcastle picked up their first Premier League away win of the season in style as they ran out 4-1 winners against a hapless Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.
Malick Thiaw bagged a brace – including the fastest league goal of the season so far – while Lewis Miley and Nick Woltemade were also on the scoresheet as Eddie Howe’s side ended their winless record on the road in convincing fashion.
Thierno Barry saw a second-half goal chalked off for handball before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall netted what proved to be little more than a consolation goal with a fine touch and finish.
The Toffees, despite coming into the tie off the back of a 10-man victory over Manchester United last time out, were unable to reproduce the same heroics, dropping to 14th spot in the table.
Howe’s men, meanwhile, jump up to 11th.
Going in search of their first away league win of the campaign, things looked promising for Newcastle within a minute of the contest.
From Miley’s inswinging corner after just 52 seconds, Thiaw rose highest to nod beyond Jordan Pickford to register the fastest top-flight goal so far this season just hours after Phil Foden had set the record.
It was an electric start for Howe’s men. But the hosts’ response was positive, Barry heading over before James Garner blasted wide from just inside the Newcastle area.
Despite the mounting pressure, the visitors extended their lead after 25 minutes when Miley latched onto Dan Burn’s instinctive cut-back on the edge of the box.
The 19-year-old midfielder volleyed an effort into the ground and the trajectory of the ball appeared to deceive Pickford and the strike skidded up through the England International’s legs and into the net.
Lewis Hall then saw his deflected shot loop onto the crossbar with the Toffees defence looking all at sea in the early stages.
Pickford’s night then went from bad to worse when, on the stroke of half-time, he was beaten by Woltemade with a deft chip to further extend the visitors’ advantage at the break.
After the break, Everton came close to reducing the deficit when Carlos Alcaraz rifled a thunderous effort against the crossbar.
Harvey Barnes and Woltemade then drew good saves from Pickford before, just moments later, Thiaw bagged his second from Hall’s pin-point delivery.
Barry thought he had notched his first goal in Everton colours with a sliced finish on 65-minutes, but it was subsequently ruled out for accidental handball by VAR.
The hosts weren’t to be denied for long, Dewsbury-Hall picking up where he left off at Old Trafford with a sublime touch and finish as Everton eyed an unlikely comeback.
But a valiant fightback never materialised as the visitors saw out the game to record a comfortable victory on Merseyside.
