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'The best defeat of my career' - relief for Howe as Magpies clinch Champions League spot

HOWE HIGH: Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe and assistant manager Jason Tindall. Pic: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire.

Newcastle 0 Everton 1

EDDIE Howe couldn't hide his relief after Newcastle did things the hard way, losing the battle but ultimately winning the war to secure their return to European football's top table.

Everton had nothing to play for, but to their utmost credit, you wouldn't have known as David Moyes' side threatened to crash the Magpies' Champions League party until events 150 miles south in Manchester ensured a memorable campaign ended on a suitably high note.

Clinching a second Champions League campaign in three seasons in addition to ending the club's 70-year wait for major silverware constitutes for Howe his finest season in management, and the Newcastle boss said: "It's probably the best defeat of my career.

"It definitely wasn't how we wanted the day to go in terms of how we played. Our desire to win was probably too great and we snatched at things and made the wrong decision numerous times. But saying that, it's been a monumental season, a great effort and I'm incredibly proud of the players.

"If you'd said with the way we started the season that it would end with this kind of success you'd struggle to find many people who would say we could have done it due to the disruption we had last summer, with no major singing in three windows.

"We lost players we would not have wanted but the players regrouped and gave even more so they deserve huge credit. They're a great group and got their just rewards."

Newcastle chose a bad time to register back-to-back defeats for the first time since October, before a former Sunderland striker proved to be their salvation.

A late goal from Manchester United's Amad Diallo, who spent a season on loan at the Stadium of Light two years ago, helped to consigned 10-man Aston Villa to defeat and ensure Newcastle squeezed home in fifth on goal difference in an unexpectedly tense finish to what was meant to be a celebratory lap of honour.

Another former Black Cat, Everton keeper Jordan Pickford - forever the pantomime villain in this part of the North-East - did his bit in trying to ensure a memorable 24 hours for Wearside with a deserved clean sheet as the final day almost fell flat for the hosts.

When the best player on the pitch Carlos Alcaraz headed the visitors in front from a Vitalii Mykolenko cross with 25 minutes left, Howe's side were staring at a deflating end to an otherwise memorable campaign as they looked destined for the Europa League.

There rarely looked like a way back against Moyes' side who ignored the fact they would finish 13th regardless of the outcome with a gritty display to leave them beaten just twice in 10 Premier League games on the road since the Scot's return.

Anxiety levels grew among the Toon Army but Newcastle were out of the top five for only a little over 10 minutes as news filtered through of events at Old Trafford. The mood quickly began to lift and Howe's side almost rescued a point when Fabian Schar skied a glorious stoppage-time chance to level from close range.

That would have been harsh on the visitors, who deserved a slice of luck for the sheer tenacity of their display with so little resting on the outcome for them as Newcastle fell over the line to book another round of memory-making nights under the floodlights in the Champions League next season.

Everton look a decent bet to mount a challenge for Europe of their own next season if they continue to make the strides they've made since Moyes' second coming.

They ended the season with three consecutive victories for the first time since 1989, and he said: "It was a great performance with the character we showed, maybe as good as we've been in any game under me and that says so much for the players.

"It would have been easy for them to have been on the beach but there was no way you could say that of them. I was really proud of the players. This was probably the worst place to come on the last game of the season with them trying to qualify for the Champions League and we put in a great display like that without probably our best two defenders.

"We showed great resilience, and I just hope we can take this form with us into the new stadium next season."

Newcastle (3-4-3): Pope 7; Schar 6, Botman 7 (Trippier 63, 6), Burn 5; Murphy 6 (Wilson 70, 4), Guimaraes 5, Tonali 5, Livramento 7; Barnes 6 (Osula 88, 5), Isak 5, Gordon 5 (Willock 46, 5).

Everton (4-2-3-1): Pickford 8; Young 7, Keane 7, O'Brien 7, Mykolenko 8; Garner 7, Gueye 7; Harrison 6, Alcaraz 8 (Doucoure 76, 6), Ndiaye 6 (McNeil 76, 6); Beto 6 (Calvert-Lewin 88, 6).

Referee: A Harrington