Newcastle's bench won them a memorable game on Saturday. It cost them two points on a more forgettable night here, when the insult to their injury crisis was Everton substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring for the first time since October to snatch a point.
Those who had changed the contest in the 4-3 win over West Ham at the weekend - Harvey Barnes, Elliot Anderson and Lewis Hall - were all promoted to starters. Not as reward, as much as it would have been deserved, but more so because of injuries.
Three more have been confirmed in the past 72 hours and, already down to the bare bones, Newcastle are now clinging to the marrow. They even named a player who is being released next month, Amadou Diallo, among the subs.
It meant Eddie Howe had little scope for change as his side started to lose control in the final half hour. He took off his best player, Anderson, whose race was run after a first start in six months, and those left behind were crawling towards the finish line.
Substitute Paul Dummett, making only his second Premier League appearance in two years, then conceded the 88th-minute penalty from which Everton equalised. He had come on for Hall, who took a knock and was unable to see out the game.
Sean Dyche, by contrast, made a treble change on the hour and, with it, the game turned. His team still haven’t won since before Christmas, but snatching a draw when they probably should have lost will feel like a victory on some level.
Dyche was even smiling when Calvert-Lewin slipped and cleaned him out on the touchline moments after his leveller. The Toffees boss refrained from a playful slap on the head this time, for a pat on the back was what the striker deserved.
Dropped after a run of 23 matches without a goal,
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