Mali international Abdoulaye Doucoure was on target for Everton in their 3-0 thumping of Newcastle United at Goodison Park on Thursday night.
The 30-year-old got the Toffees second goal of the game with a calmly slotted strike into the bottom corner, beating Martin Dubravka from close range to equal his Premier League goal tally from last season with five goals.
Abdoulaye Doucouré has equalled his Premier League goals tally from last season:
◎ 2022/23: 25 games, 5 goals
◉ 2023/24: 15 games, 5 goalsEverton’s top scorer. ???? pic.twitter.com/z6UES5jbEq
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) December 7, 2023
The home team began the match brightly, but chances were few and far, with the best chance of the game falling to Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the 40th minute. The English forward failed to take the opportunity missing from inside the six-yard box.
Everton started the second half in search of an opener, and they were rewarded in the 79th after Dwight McNeil found the back of the net. The former Burnley man pinched the ball off Kieran Trippier after the latter’s error before driving into the box and sending it into the top corner.
Doucoure doubled his side’s lead seven minutes later after Trippier was caught on the ball once again. Jack Harrison stripped the Newcastle fullback of the ball before playing a cut back into the box for Doucoure to calmly finish.
UP THE FANTASTIC TOFFEES!!! ✊ pic.twitter.com/knFJ9kxIr8
— Everton (@Everton) December 7, 2023
Portuguese forward Beto, who came on as a substitute for Calvert-Lewin, scored Everton’s third and final goal of the game. The 25-year-old beat the offside line after latching onto a throughball from Nathan Patterson before slotting his attempt in between Dubravka’s legs.
Sean Dyche’s men comfortably collected all available points as they moved out of the relegation zone in the league standings with ten points, despite their 10-point deduction.
The Toffees will welcome Chelsea to Goodison Park on Sunday for another tough test, while Newcastle will make a trip to North London to face Tottenham Hostspur.
