Newcastle 0 Everton 1 – Eddie Howe’s side lose but still seal return to the Champions League

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Newcastle United are back in the Champions League following a one-season absence after they came through a nervy final day to finish fifth in the Premier League.

Eddie Howe’s side started Sunday in fourth position, knowing their hopes of a top-five finish were in their own hands but they also knew anything less than victory could open the door for the teams around them.

And with 25 minutes remaining, they looked set to miss out on qualifying for Europe’s premier club competition when Carlos Alcaraz headed Everton into the lead.

Newcastle were struggling to create chances but were given a late reprieve when Manchester United’s Amad scored in the 76th minute to put his side ahead against Aston Villa at Old Trafford. That made all the difference for Newcastle, who moved back up to fifth as Villa dropped to sixth.

The combination of results — Newcastle lost 1-0 but Manchester United eventually won 2-0 — means Howe’s side will play Champions League football again next season, along with Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur.

Chris Waugh analyses the main talking points from an excruciating final day at St James’ Park.

How nervy were those final 25 minutes?

If there was already tension beforehand, then nerves absolutely gripped St James’ Park once Alcaraz’s 65th-minute goal went in.

Carlos Alcaraz inflicted a first home league defeat since February 1 on Newcastle (Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Some sections of the ground realised that, with 10-man Aston Villa drawing at the time, Newcastle had temporarily dropped out of the top five. Encouraging cheers followed the goal, but genuine doubt was also creeping in among home supporters.

At that point, phones were whipped out around the ground, with Newcastle fans desperately trying to battle for signal so they could repeatedly refresh for score updates. When Manchester United took the lead at Old Trafford, lifting Newcastle from sixth back above Villa and into the Champions League spots, pockets of cheers began erupting from different parts of the stadium.

The Newcastle bench were not immediately made aware of Villa conceding, but it instilled greater belief into the home crowd.

That did not necessarily translate on to the field, mind. The game remained scrappy, while David Moyes was even booked for furiously protesting the failure to award a free kick when Beto’s shirt appeared to be pulled during the final 10 minutes, and the Everton striker exchanged words with Jason Tindall, Newcastle’s assistant manager.

Thankfully, Manchester United, for once, did Newcastle a favour. When the home supporters became aware of Villa conceding a second, they started singing about the Champions League and “Tell me ma, me ma, I won’t be home for tea, we’re going to Italy”.

Newcastle may not have done the job themselves on the final day, but it turned out they had done enough beforehand.

The response at the full-time whistle was bizarre. Initially anti-climactic, with Newcastle having lost and the Manchester United game still ongoing, eventually the Champions League music was played, confirming Newcastle were in the competition and huge cheers emerged around the stadium, followed by the players celebrating in a circle in the middle of the pitch.

A very strange day, but one with a positive conclusion.

Did Newcastle struggle because of the final-day pressure?

In some ways, how the match unfolded — a frustrating 90 minutes, as Newcastle struggled to get going in the final third — was immaterial. The table at the end was all that really mattered. But it is easy to say that now, after the fact, but the conclusion could easily have been so different.

Newcastle’s fate was in their own hands as they strived to ensure Champions League football will return to St James’ Park in 2025-26, for the second time in three seasons. It will, but not because they actually did the job themselves.

The stadium was bouncing at kick-off, fuelled by an offer of two free pints for every home fan who had got themselves into the ground early, and then ramped up further by Wor Flags’ pre-match display. The fan group’s banner in the Gallowgate End read, “You entered the pitch as players, you left it as legends”, tweaking a Bruno Guimaraes quote from his pre-Carabao Cup final dressing-room team talk.

But Everton’s dogged defensive setup frustrated Newcastle players and the crowd before the interval. The visitors looked dangerous on the counter, while Newcastle were sloppy in possession and lacked ideas in the final third.

A half-fit-looking Alexander Isak cut a forlorn, peripheral figure, and Fabian Schar screamed at Jacob Murphy in exasperation after feeling forced to pull back Alcaraz cynically and pick up a yellow card. Howe and Tindall, meanwhile, spent the best part of five minutes deep in conversation on the touchline, seemingly debating potential tactical alterations given how much their team were labouring in possession.

In the end, such unease proved prophetic. Alcaraz’s opener was arguably deserved, while Beto and Dominic Calvert-Lewin had chances to extend Everton’s lead further. Newcastle themselves had opportunities, but could not find an equaliser.

Fortunately for them, at the other side of the country, Manchester United delivered.

While it would be an exaggeration to state that being in Europe’s elite competition is transformative, it certainly has a significant effect on Newcastle’s short and medium-term future. The transfer kitty will be bolstered, higher wages can be offered to current players and potential targets, and Newcastle can provide a Champions League platform, which is enticing to elite-level individuals.

The Champions League is where Newcastle want to be — and the Champions League is exactly where they will be once again. Job done, in that respect.

Did Howe get his tactics wrong?

Howe likes consistency in his team selection, yet it was still a surprise to see a continuation of the 3-4-3 system he deployed against Chelsea and Arsenal once the team sheet was released.

Isak’s name being on it felt like a positive, though it quickly became apparent he was nowhere close to match fit, and the formation did not have the desired effect either. Sven Botman, usually so dependable, looked uncomfortable throughout, with Beto causing the Dutchman real problems, while Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes struggled down their respective flanks.

From almost the quarter-hour mark, Howe appeared to be considering tactical changes, regularly speaking with his assistants, and at half-time he brought on Joe Willock, hooking Gordon, and switched to the usual 4-3-3.

Kieran Trippier was the next replacement on, before Callum Wilson was deployed for the final 20 minutes and Isak pulled deeper to play off him as Newcastle became increasingly desperate in search of an equaliser.

However, Newcastle simply could not wrestle themselves awake in attack. There was no fluidity in their offensive play and Isak did not manage a decent shot of note until they had fallen behind.

Since early December, almost every team selection Howe has made has paid off. But on the final day it simply did not work, and an excellent and organised Everton took advantage. Mercifully it did not matter thanks to results elsewhere.

(Top photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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