Newcastle 1-3 Everton: Armstrong brace sinks Magpies in pre-season friendly (highlights)

Everton secured a convincing 3-1 victory over Newcastle United in a pre-season friendly held at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on 12 August 2026. The Toffees took the lead in the 27th minute when Tierno Barry provided a precise assist to Harrison Armstrong, who slotted the ball past the Newcastle goalkeeper with composure. Just nine minutes later, Iliman Ndiaye doubled Everton's advantage in the 36th minute, pouncing on a defensive lapse to make it 2-0. The visitors continued to dominate after the break, and in the 73rd minute, Armstrong completed his brace by finishing from close range after a cut-back from Tyrique George, extending the lead to 3-0. Newcastle finally found a response in the 85th minute when Harvey Barnes, set up by Jacob Murphy, pulled one back to make it 1-3, but it was too little too late for the Magpies. The match, played in a typically relaxed pre-season tempo, saw only one yellow card shown by referee Carlos Alcaraz. Both sides used the fixture to build match fitness and experiment with tactical setups ahead of the new Premier League campaign. Everton's sharpness in attack and defensive solidity will please their manager, while Newcastle will need to address their defensive vulnerabilities before the season opener. The question now is whether Eddie Howe's side can learn from this setback and tighten up at the back.