Newcastle United fans believe that Bruno Guimaraes was their best performer in the 1-0 defeat against 10-man Everton on Thursday. Alex Iwobi's 98th-minute strike proved to be the difference between the two sides at Goodison Park after Allan was sent off for the hosts.
It was a frustrating evening for the Magpies, who were unable to make their man advantage count and were made to pay for a lapse in concentration at the back as Iwobi broke through and slotted the ball into the bottom corner. The result leaves Newcastle in 14th, nine points clear of the relegation zone.
However, there were some standout players from the contest as the Magpies came so close to grabbing another point. ChronicleLive readers thought Guimaraes was their top performer, giving him a 7.3 out of 10 rating as his composure in midfield helped Newcastle control the game for the vast majority.
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The next highest was Matt Targett (6.7), who put in another consistent display at left-back. The 26-year-old has been an astute addition following his loan move from Aston Villa in January and continued his impressive form at Everton, recording two tackles, two clearances and one key pass.
Other players that were rated more than six were Dan Burn (6.6), Fabian Schar (6.4) and Martin Dubravka (6.1), with all three playing an instrumental part in the Mapgies' recent resurgence. Although it could be argued that the trio may have done better for Everton's goal, they limited the Toffees to very few clear-cut chances on the night and were relatively solid throughout.
Meanwhile, the lowest score was given to Allan Saint-Maximin - who received 3.9 as part of our post-match survey. The Frenchman came on as a second-half substitute and gave the ball away in the build-up for Iwobi's winner, making it a disappointing night for the 24-year-old winger.
Chris Wood (4.1) and Jacob Murphy (4.8) were also amongst the lowest rated players for their performances. Both struggled to make an impact on the game and failed to trouble Everton in dangerous positions.
Newcastle fans' player ratings
Bruno Guimaraes - 7.3
Matt Targett - 6.7
Dan Burn - 6.6
Fabian Schar - 6.4
Martin Dubravka - 6.1
Joelinton - 5.9
Ryan Fraser - 5.4
Joe Willock - 5.2
Emil Krafth - 5.1
Miguel Almiron - 5.1
Javier Manquillo - 4.9
Jacob Murphy - 4.8
Chris Wood - 4.1
Allan Saint-Maximin - 3.9
