Bruno Guimaraes celebrates and, inset, Newcastle United owners Yasir Al-Rumayyan and Jamie Reuben
Bruno Guimaraes celebrates and, inset, Newcastle United owners Yasir Al-Rumayyan and Jamie Reuben
Newcastle United have qualified for the Champions League despite a 1-0 defeat against Everton at St James' Park.
Carlos Alcaraz's header secured Everton a final-day win, but the Magpies finished in fifth place after Manchester United beat Aston Villa at Old Trafford.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
A surreal afternoon ends with return to Champions League
It was almost surreal. Newcastle were 1-0 down against Everton. There were just a few minutes left to equalise. Yet there was a reason why defiant Geordies were breaking into a rendition of: "Is this the way to Barcelona? Bayern Munich, Lazio, Roma. Geordie boys are taking over! The Champions League awaits for me."
News of events elsewhere had spread across the stadium after Manchester United went 2-0 up against Aston Villa at Old Trafford. Such an outcome meant that Newcastle would finish fifth and take the final Champions League spot.
To think that Newcastle had previously dropped out of the race for 11 agonising minutes after Carlos Alcaraz's header put Everton in front midway through the second half to stun St James' into silence. Ten-man Aston Villa, at the time, were in the box seat but a goal from Amad Diallo and a penalty from Christian Eriksen at Old Trafford ended up securing Newcastle a seat at Europe's top table.
Newcastle United's players as they learn their qualification for next year UEFA Champions League
Yasir Al-Rumayyan's message will worry rivals
Among those in attendance on Sunday were Yasir Al-Rumayyan and Jamie Reuben ahead of Eddie Howe sitting down with Newcastle's owners to discuss summer plans. Rather than being content with qualifying for the Champions League for a second time in three years, and ending the club's seven-decade wait for a major domestic trophy, Newcastle want to build on this as Howe explained after briefly talking to the Magpies chairman at full-time.
"Whenever I speak to the chairman, he's very focused on success and achieving and winning," he said. "He always leaves me in no doubt that's what he wants so I'm working towards that."
Players' full-time devastation turns to elation
Newcastle needed St James' at its ferocious best from the get-go. Given what was at stake, that was never going to be in doubt, particularly after those fans who arrived early availed of two free drinks on bank holiday weekend. Dan Burn knew that 'everyone will be fired up and ready to go' while goalkeeper Nick Pope asked 'where else would you rather play in the world?'
Wor Flags, as ever, set the tone - even quoting Bruno Guimaraes' 'you entered the pitch as players, you left it as legends' Wembley team talk with one particular banner in the Gallowgate - but Newcastle did not feed off the deafening noise inside the stadium and race out of the blocks. Quite the opposite, in fact. The Magpies were timid rather than aggressive.
Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United is challenged by Carlos Alcaraz of Everton
Yet the crowd stuck with them. During some particularly sticky moments in the first half, there were cries of 'Sing your hearts out for the lads!' Following a strong start to the second half from Everton, there were chants of 'Eddie Howe's black and white army!' and 'Who's that team we call United?'
Even after Everton took the lead, Geordies continued to push their side on and they roared in encouragement after it emerged that Manchester United took the lead against 10-man Aston Villa and word spread around the terraces. The tension lifted in an instant.
Yet it still came as news to one or two devastated players, who broke down and dropped to the turf at full-time, thinking they had blown it. After confirmation came through from Old Trafford, were soon on their feet bouncing on the spot as the Champions League anthem blared out of the public address system.
Callum Wilson gets emotional
This looked like a farewell for Callum Wilson. As his delirious team-mates celebrated in front of the Leazes End at full-time, the emotional striker peeled away and made his way over to the Gallowgate to applaud Newcastle fans, who sang his name.
It got too much for Wilson at one point - the veteran wiped away the tears as he walked towards the tunnel - before being consoled by Dan Burn, Tino Livramento, Jacob Murphy and Graeme Jones. Wilson returned to thank Geordies on a solo lap around the pitch before the squad, staff and families followed suit.
If this is to prove Wilson's final game for the club, his legacy won't be forgotten after the number nine played such a key role in difficult times to repeatedly keep Newcastle in the league before going on to help the Magpies fire into the Champions League a couple of seasons ago.
Jordan Pickford angers Geordies from off
Newcastle were facing an Everton side fresh from an emotional send-off at Goodison Park. The visitors were going to finish 13th regardless of Sunday's result. However, given the manner in which Everton have fought under David Moyes - even since pulling clear of danger several months ago - there was no danger of the visitors easing off.
After all, only four sides have amassed more points than Everton's 28 since they won their first Premier League game under Moyes back in January. The Scot was not about to put his feet up. "We want to go and see if we can make it difficult for Newcastle," he said.
Jordan Pickford
Everton did that, all right, and Jordan Pickford was certainly not on the beach. The Sunderland native was pumped and the lyric 'he hates Newcastle' even features in Everton fans' new chant that the away end repeatedly belted out on Sunday.
It did not take Pickford long to anger Geordies, after switching Newcastle around at kick-off, and the goalkeeper was roundly booed as he ran towards the Gallowgate and, indeed, whenever he touched the ball for that matter. It took Newcastle until the half-hour mark to finally force Pickford into action after Sandro Tonali let fly and the goalkeeper followed up that stop with a fine save to keep out Alexander Isak's follow-up.
Pickford twice denied Sven Botman from corner kicks before the first half was out and the England number one made another big save to keep out Isak's shot after Everton took the lead.