Newcastle clinched an unlikely but thoroughly deserved victory at Goodison Park on Saturday lunchtime to grant the under-pressure Steve Bruce some much needed breathing room after a dismal start to 2021.
The Magpies headed to Everton winless in 11 competitive games and, having now scored away from home since the middle of December, the outlook was bleak for Newcastle.
It was even bleaker for Steve Bruce. The unpopular manager was odds on to be the next Premier League manager to leave his post on Saturday morning, but the 60-year-old will be hoping that lunchtime victory – which lifts Newcastle nine points clear of the relegation zone – can spark a revival among his squad.
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Bruce’s battle is far from over
Bruce may be able to sleep easy this weekend after Callum Wilson’s masterclass at Everton but there is no denying that he hasn’t yet won the battle for managerial survival.
As individual performances go, that’s as impressive as it gets from @CallumWilson. Huge result for Steve Bruce. #EVENEW @btsport
— michael owen (@themichaelowen) January 30, 2021
Newcastle play host to an out-of-form Crystal Palace in midweek in what looks to be a very winnable game before a quartet of very difficult fixtures. They visit Chelsea and Manchester United in between home matches against Southampton and Wolves, and the maximum they can realistically hope for from their next five fixtures is seven points.
If they do win against Crystal Palace in midweek we’ll probably see Bruce’s odds for the sacking lengthen significantly. Until then, he’s still very much a favourite for the chop.
However, a few more performances like that from Callum Wilson and the Magpies can start looking towards the top-half rather than the bottom three.
The Callum Wilson impact
If Newcastle really want to push on and get the fans back on side, a lot of the onus will fall on Callum Wilson’s shoulders.
The former Bournemouth man has been banging in the goals in the Premier League for years, and he’s by far Newcastle’s biggest asset when it comes to attacking play.
The stats speak for themselves: Callum Wilson has scored 47.6% of Newcastle’s Premier League goals this season. That’s the highest percentage in the entire top flight and one of only two players (the other being David McGoldrick) to have over 40%.
He’s not just a goalscorer either. His four assists mean he has been directly involved in 14 of Newcastle’s 21 Premier League goals this season and he played his part when it came to closing down and holding up the ball on Saturday.
He impressed a lot of Newcastle fans, including a certain legendary St James’ Park striker.
3 much needed points. A clean sheet and @CallumWilson scoring goals again. MASSIVE improvement all over the pitch. #EVENEW
pic.twitter.com/Z39CEfkZdk
— Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) January 30, 2021
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