More bizarre penalty calls pile on frustrations for Everton after Newcastle stalemate

After the visitors were deservedly awarded a spot-kick half an hour in - which Everton keeper Jordan Pickford saved from Anthony Gordon - the Toffees were then denied what seemed a strong shout for a penalty.

Earlier in the match the Blues had a goal chalked off by VAR as Abdoulaye Doucoure's header was deemed offside and now once again they were on the wrong end of decisions by the officials.

Then came the moment when Dan Burn clips Dominic Calvert-Lewin bringing him down as he went to tap the loose ball in. Why was that not a spot-kick?!

All this is going to sound like the proverbial broken record which Everton supporters have been playing for quite a while now.

Other clubs and their fans can and will also point to the inconsistencies and vagaries of refereeing and VAR decisions as they have affected them.

However, yet again, these issues seem to disproportionately impact the Blues and Saturday was yet another prime example.

There had been one of a number of bizarre and barely fathomable decisions that had adversely impacted the Toffees last season.

The Blues had a string of solid claims for penalties either ignored or overturned while they waited until March - longer than any other Premier League team - for the first spot-kick of the campaign to be awarded to them.

It seems the same story is going to puncture this campaign as well and once more Everton are just going to have to deal with it.

Having looked at the negatives from the weekend's game there were a few positives that just might bode well for the rest of the season.

First of all the fact that Micheal Keane did step up for the injured Jarrad Branthwaite and performed very well at the heart of the defence.

And against Newcastle it was his central defensive partner James Tarkowksi who had the moment of madness wrestling of Sandro Tonali to the ground for the Magpies penalty.

Along with Keane Ashley Young did well at left-back although he is a ageing player who is always likely to give away a chance or get himself sent-off.

Neither of these two are going to start regularly (I hope!) and when Branthwaite and Vitalii Mykolenko are both back fit they will return to the team.

Perhaps though that improved defensive resilience will help to stabalise things and help the side build some momentum after the current international break.