Stephen Warnock saw one Everton player do something ‘undefendable’ as the Blues hosted Newcastle United at Goodison Park in the Premier League on Saturday night.
The Toffees tried to go into the October international break on a high having taken their first win of the top-flight season the previous time out. But the Blues’ trials and tribulations were not without their troubles, including James Tarkowski handing Newcastle a first-half penalty.
VAR was rarely a friend of Everton in the opening 45 minutes as Chris Kavanagh advised on-field referee Craig Pawson that Tarkowski made a non-footballing action by throwing Sandro Tonali to the turf. Kavanagh had also already advised he rule an Everton goal out for offside.
Stephen Warnock praises James Garner for an ‘undefendable’ cross vs Newcastle
Goodison Park erupted when Abdoulaye Doucoure flashed the ball home to put Everton 1-0 up against Newcastle. But Kavanagh detected the Mali midfielder had slightly drifted offside in the build-up whilst urging James Garner to float a cross into the box from Everton’s wing.
Doucoure made a smart run to peel in behind the Magpies’ backline but Garner failed to see it in time. The makeshift right-back let the ball run slightly too far away from his feet to cross without needing an extra step. It proved to mark the difference between a goal and offside.
Garner’s delivery astounded former Liverpool left-back Warnock, though, having put the ball in the perfect place for Doucoure to head home what Everton hoped was their opening goal against Newcastle. Warnock felt the Magpies stood zero chance of defending Garner’s ball.
“Garner with an incredible ball. A ball that is undefendable,” Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live. “[Doucoure] is offside, though, much to the frustration of the fans.”
James Garner’s first touch proved costly as Abdoulaye Doucoure drifted offside
Garner’s cross left Fabian Schar with no chance of denying Doucoure a chance to get a shot on Newcastle’s goal after the Everton midfielder’s smart run behind the centre-back. It was in the perfect place far enough away from Nick Pope for Doucoure to meet it unchallenged.
Had Garner’s first touch been a step tighter, his delivery would likely have led to a goal with Doucoure potentially still onside. Instead, the 23-year-old’s wait for his first assist this term continued. Yet the cross alone showed why Sean Dyche trusted Garner to be the right-back.
While it may not have led to a goal, Garner had taken up a great position out wide to force Newcastle to stretch their midfield and help to create the space that Doucoure attacked. It was then a superb delivery but one that came a smidge too late due to Garner’s first touch.
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