2 things I loved (and 2 I liked) from Newcastle’s 4-1 win at Everton

The goals came via a Malick Thiaw brace, Lewis Miley, and Nick Woltemade with Kieran Dewsbury-Hall grabbing a consolation for the Toffees.

Here are four things I liked (including two things I loved) from the game:

Loved: Miley Masterclass

It’s easy to forget that Lewis Miley is still only 19 (he’s not 20 until May) with how long he has been in and around the first team, and Saturday was his best performance since he burst onto the scene two years ago and perhaps ever wearing Black and White (well, green) but you get the point.

One goal, one assist, 96% passing accuracy, two chances created, eight ball recoveries, and 100% duels won: the kid was on fire, putting in a complete midfield performance, and it was a testament to the lad that we didn’t miss Sandro Tonali for a second.

That was Miley’s 60^th appearance for United (41^st in the Premier League) and he’s in elite company with the players to have hit that milestone before the age of the 20, including the likes of Frank Lampard and Declan Rice. There’s a long way to go for him, but he was a pleasure to watch on Saturday.

Loved: We are a different a side with fit fullbacks

Tino and Hall are a huge part of what makes this side tick, and they’ve been a critical miss being out injured together. Tino is a lynchpin to how the side plays, popping up in central midfield, tucked in from the right, and bombing down the wing; he’s a nightmare for opposition players to track and manipulates them into positions and situations they do not want to be in.

But his partner in crime down the left side, Lewis Hall, is some footballer. The lad has it all, apart from a little robustness, but that come with training and time. His cross for Thiaw’s second was delicious and was a real mark of quality, and it was gratifying to see Hall get some statistical payoff for such a great performance.

Both are hugely technical players and the chance the two fullbacks created between them with Tino nearly assisting Hall when the youngster’s shot was deflected onto the crossbar, deserved a goal. And please football gods, can they just stay fit moving forward, or at least not be injured at the same time ever again.

Liked: Thiaw, Thiaw, Thiaw

Malick Thiaw has settled in at United better than we could’ve imagined and he was rewarded with his first two goals for the club, with two bullet headers. To be fair, the crosses make the goals (both were wicked deliveries) but Thiaw has threatened to score a few times since joining the club and it finally came off for him.

Scoring goals isn’t his job but it’s in his defensive third where he has been so impressive, so regularly, with him generally being the best player in a side playing poorly. The 24-year-old deserves to have some positive results to go with his performances; he had a 92% passing accuracy, won 86% of his aerial duels (6/7) and was accurate with 3/5 long balls against Everton, and it’s a close-run thing, so far, between him and Woltemade for signing of the season.

Liked: Woltemade back to his best 

Big Nick delivered a sumptuous finish to end his mini five-game goal drought for United. The German now has five in ten games (12 in all comps for club(s) and country) in the Premier League and that’s 500% more than a certain Swede (if each goal is a worth 100% of course).

Jokes aside, Woltemade has (in the last two league games) been much more involved across the entire pitch; he is now linking play, getting multiple chances per game, and his technical quality is shining through in a league that can be very blood and thunder at times.

And United’s incessant schedule continues with another game in just three days against Spurs at SJP. They suffered a terrible result against Fulham on Saturday and are generally not playing well, despite most of their points coming on the road, but it is a huge game to kick off a huge week for the club. Win both games and we can finally put the slow start to the season (in the league) behind us.

Keep the faith. HWTL