Everton cruise past troubled Newcastle

Everton 3 Newcastle 0: In the Premier League, the term ‘crisis’ is always relative. Everton have supposedly been in one, yet find themselves just a point off the top half of the Premier League after a restorative win against opposition whose prospects of survival look far less healthy after late ill-discipline saw them overwhelmed and reduced to 10 men at Goodison.

Newcastle spent more than any other team in England last month in an attempt to avoid their current crisis becoming worse, but still find themselves two points from safety despite breaking the bank.

A first-half strike from Aaron Lennon and two late Ross Barkley penalties calmed the troubled waters that had been lapping around Roberto Martinez after a run of five previous home games without a victory, and after hitting the woodwork on three separate occasions in the second half, the hosts more than deserved their three points.