Romelu Lukaku’s pursuit of a goalscoring record held by Everton legend Dixie Dean came to an end as he lost a personal battle with the Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliot last night.
But Elliot’s string of fine saves from the striker meant nothing as he was beaten by Tom Cleverley’s header in the final moments of the match to leave Newcastle in the bottom three of the Premier League.
Cleverley’s header looped in after Elliot punched clear a corner, easing Lukaku’s disappointment at failing to equal Dean’s feat of scoring in nine successive games.
Lukaku causing problems for the Newcastle defence
It was victory that Everton deserved. They were stronger, quicker, more industrious and far more inventive than United, who showed slight improvement in the second-half and were seconds away from a point.
Lukaku’s reputation is understandably as a goalscorer, but the forward was also influential away from the danger area as Everton dominated the early stages.
Posession stats
The first touch of the powerful forward placed him at the heart of a series of incisive attacks by Martinez’s team as they dominated the opening half.
He certainly proved to be a handful for Newcastle skipper Fabricio Coloccini and one of the defender’s fouls on Lukaku gave Leighton Baines the chance to strike a free-kick over the bar in the sixth minute.
Newcastle attacking thirds
It was the start of a difficult period for Newcastle as the midfield authority of Ross Barkley, Gareth Barry and Tom Cleverley enabled them to create four excellent chances in the next 15 minutes.
Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliot did well to save the first with his legs after Seamus Coleman’s cross reached Kevin Mirallas at the far post.
By any means necessary: Newcastle's Chancel Mbemba heads the ball away from Lukaku
Then a slick move instigated by Barkley ended with another Coleman cross being blocked just before it reached Lukaku and Chancel Mbemba was required to make a similarly hurried clearance to deal with a Lukaku cross in front of his own goal.
Mirallas, recalled for the first time in four months, forced Elliot to make another save in the 19th minute, capping a spell of pressure that indicated why Everton possess such fine away record this season, although their solitary defeat is accompanied by too many draws.
Everton attacking thirds
Twenty five minutes had gone before Newcastle responded for the first time when Aleksandar Mitrovic was inches away from connecting with a Daryl Janmaat cross, but it was a rare first-half threat from a team in danger of being overrun.
Newcastle were soon pinned back again and, Lukaku, inevitably, was their chief tormentor. He claimed for a penalty - unsuccessfully, but with some justification - when Coloccini appeared to pull him down in the 28th minute and - seconds later - his fierce drive brought another good save from Elliot.
Crowded out: Newcastle's Ayoze Perez surrounded by Everton players
The goalkeeper represents one of the few plus points for Newcastle in their unsatisfactory season and he continued to keep them in the game after the interval.
Elliott used his legs yet again to block a 57th minute shot from Lukaku as time started to run out on the striker’s bid to maintain his goalscoring run.
Lukaku misses from close-range late in the second-half
Then the keeper went down quickly to make a more conventional save as Aaron Lennon searched for a goal to mark his recall in place of Gerard Deulofeu.
It proved to be Lennon’s last contribution as he and, more surprisingly, Barkley, were replaced by Deulofeu and Muhamed Besic in the 69th minute.
Cleverley (bottom right) celebrates his late winner
On either side of the substitutions, Newcastle started to alter the balance of power slightly in their favour as Ayoze Perez shot narrowly wide and Mitrovic wasted an excellent from Moussa Sissoko by heading wide.
Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard finally had to make his first save in the 76th minute, reacting well when Georginio Wijnaldum met another cross from Jack Colback, who had finally started to exert some midfield control along with Vurnon Anita.
Lukaku’s last chance to sustain his scoring streak came and went as he failed to capitalise on the rebound after yet another save from Elliot, who reacted well on this occasion to beat out a header from Ramiro Funes Mori, but Lukaku did force a corner that brought the dramatic winner for Cleverley.
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