Memorable Match - Newcastle United 3-2 Everton: Late Perez brace sees Magpies complete shock comeback

Ahead of Newcastle United's clash with Everton on Sunday afternoon, VAVEL take a trip down memory lane back to March 2019 when Rafael Benitez's Magpies side overcame a two-goal deficit to seal all three points against Marco Silva's Toffee's.

A header from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and a tap-in from Richarlison had the away side two goals in front going into the interval.

But a Salomon Rondon volley midway through the second half brought Newcastle back into the game.

The Magpies found themselves level nine minutes from time when Perez pounced on a Jordan Pickford mistake.

And just three minutes later, Newcastle snatched the victory as the Spaniard slammed home his second of the game.

Heading into this game, Newcastle found themselves just three points above the Premier League relegation zone, and were desparate to extend that gap to the bottom three.

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Story of the game

The away side found themselves on 18 minutes as Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored a customary towering-header from an inch-perfect Lucas Digne cross.

Newcastle were awarded a penalty 12 minutes after Everton's opener when former Sunderland-man Jordan Pickford fouled Salomon Rondon inside the box.

The majority of the 52,000 people in attendance at St James' Park felt that Pickford should have been dismissed for a challenge which could only have been described as more of a 'rugby tackle' than a footballing one.

And to add even more fuel to the fire, the pantomime villain of the afternoon Pickford kept out Matt Ritchie's penalty.

Just 71 seconds after the penalty was saved, Everton doubled their advantage as Richarlison netted in from close range after Martin Dubravka spilled Andre Gomes' cross directly to the Brazilian.

Everton looked set for the perfect away day on Tyneside, but on 65 minutes, the tide started to turn as Newcastle brought themselves back into the game when Ayoze Perez dinked the ball behind The Toffee's backline and found Salomon Rondon who volleyed home past Pickford.

With just nine minutes to go of normal time, The Magpies grabbed their equaliser as Miguel Almiron's long-range shot was parried by Pickford into the path of Perez who made no mistake with his finish as he slotted the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.

Three minutes later, Newcastle completed their comeback as Perez smashed in the winner after Everton were unable to clear Isaac Hayden's lofted ball, despite the Spaniard clearly being offside when he struck the ball into the net.

Everton boss Silva was fuming that Perez's winner was not ruled out by the assistant referee, but Newcastle's fans will have seen it as just deserts after Pickford was not sent off for his challenge on Rondon in the first-half.

This game was the first time that Newcastle had successfully overturned a two goal deficit since October 2003, when Sir Bobby Robson was in charge of the club when they played Fulham.

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Man of the match - Ayoze Perez

Arguably one of his best performances in a Newcastle shirt, Ayoze Perez was the standout player in a breathless 90 minutes.

The Spaniard was a nuisance for the Everton defence all game, completing more dribbles as well as more shots on goal than any other player on the pitch.

Perez put himself in the right places at the right time to net both of this goals - and sent St James' Park into sheer pandemonium when he netted the eventual winner.

The man who arrived from Tenerife for just £1.5 million in 2014 seemed a natural on the right-hand side in a lethal front three consisting of himself, Miguel Almiron and Salomon Rondon.

It was these sort of performances in a black and white shirt that sealed him a £30 million move to Leicester City in the summer of 2019.

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