Everton leapfrog Tottenham with huge victory as Newcastle lose ground in UCL race

Ciaran McCarthy
Abdoulaye Doucoure, Everton, February 2025
Abdoulaye Doucoure scores the opener for Everton

Everton thumped Leicester 4-0, Southampton overcame Ipswich 2-1 for just their second Premier League win of the season and Fulham narrowly defeated Champions League hopefuls Newcastle United.

The Toffees have been a different side since David Moyes returned to the club as manager. They have now won three games on the bounce, and after defeating Tottenham and Brighton by a goal each, the third win in the run was the most special.

Up against fellow strugglers Leicester, Everton scored the fourth-fastest Premier League goal in history through Abdoulaye Doucoure, netted twice more through Beto in the first half, and kept going right until the end, Iliman Ndiaye securing their fourth in the 90th minute, launching Everton into 15th, a place above Spurs.

Newcastle have been up and down of late, winning twice and losing twice in their last four, with 15 goals coming in those games.

Their latest in that run saw them lose ground in the Champions League race, losing late on against Fulham. The Magpies were 1-0 up until the 61st minute after Jacob Murphy’s opener on 37 minutes, but Fulham turned things around through forwards Raul Jimenez and Rodrigo Muniz. If Chelsea win on February 3, they’ll take fifth spot away from Newcastle.

Southampton have been portrayed as one of the worst teams in the history of the Premier League this season. Derby County’s worst campaign in Premier League history – 11 points – has looked to be in doubt, but the Saints are at least on their way to overcoming that mark.

They moved to within two points of it after 24 games this term, with just their second win of the season, over Ipswich, who are a single place above them, in 19th.

Saints opened the scoring in the 21st minute, but Liam Delap got the Tractor Boys back in it 10 minutes later. Late into the game, the scores remained level, until Paul Onuachu rose to the occasion with three minutes left of the 90 – Southampton are now seven points behind Ipswich.

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