Everton legend sends Luton, Fulham and Wolves message as Toffees lose Goodison ghosts against Newcastle United

Everton legend Leon Osman praised Everton for shaking off the ghosts of Goodison matches past against Newcastle United as they blew Eddie Howe's side away with a late flurry of goals.

The cagey meeting was a tale of two defences up until the 79th minute when Dwight McNeil bagged his second goal in two games. Up until that point, it had been hard to pick a winner with an inconsistent Toffees side in a stalemate with an injury-ridden Magpies' team.

However, once McNeil latched onto a mistake from Kieran Trippier, there was no stopping Everton as Abdoulaye Doucouré and Beto added to the score-line in the dying moments.

Relief swept over a jubilant Goodison Park, which had potentially feared late and undeserved heartbreak that they have come accustomed to this season. Speaking after the match as a pundit on Prime Video, Osman said: "It was so evenly balanced and there was chances at either end. We were talking about doing a handshake on a draw. I just felt it was a normal Goodison game this season - losing by one to Wolves when Everton had so many chances, same to Fulham, same to Luton.

"The team deserved to win, made enough chances to win but just got caught with that sucker-punch. As those Anthony Gordon chants started coming Shay [Given] was thinking Newcastle would be the team to edge it 1-0 but Dwight McNeil changed all that."

It was only Everton's second home win of the season as the three points lifted the team out of the relegation zone, just weeks after being hit with a 10-point deduction from the Premier League.

Reflecting on whether he feared the side might drop late points again, Dyche said: "We were very good first half, chance creation-wise. It's a human thing, you think surely not. The goal comes from an unfortunate mistake from Tripps, who is a top player and a player I have a lot of respect for. But we capitalised on it."