Almost 27 years ago, in March 1999, the two sides also locked horns on Tyneside in an FA Cup quarter-final, which Newcastle won as part of their journey to the final of the competition at Wembley.
RUUD GULLIT’S Newcastle United reign eventually became synonymous with heavy rain thanks to the downpour in the derby defeat to Sunderland that heralded his departure from Tyneside, but on this occasion the weather didn’t defeat him.
Persistent heavy rain had put Newcastle’s FA Cup quarter-final with Everton in doubt, but a heavily-sanded pitch survived two pre-match inspections and the game was given the green light to begin.
Gullit’s starting line-up included Silvio Maric, a Croatian midfielder who had signed from Croatia Zagreb the previous month for £3.65m, but whose eagerly-awaited Magpies debut had been delayed because of issues over his work permit.
Silvio Maric on his Newcastle debut (Image: North News & Pictures)
Maric played on the left of a midfield unit that also featured Rob Lee, Dietmar Hamann and Nolberto Solano, with Temuri Ketsbaia partnering Alan Shearer up front.
Newcastle were the dominant side in a scrappy opening period, but the miserable weather and heavy playing surface were making it difficult for either side to get into any rhythm until the Magpies opened the scoring in the 21st minute.
A slick passing move involving Maric and Shearer ended with Ketsbaia breaking forward, and while the Georgian’s shot was somewhat speculative, it took a big deflection off a lunging Marco Materazzi to completely wrongfoot Thomas Myhre in the Everton goal.
Temuri Ketsbaia celebrates after scoring Newcastle's third goal (Image: North News & Pictures)
That should have been the cue for Newcastle to take control of the game, but having been unable to add to their lead before the interval, Gullit’s Magpies side were pegged back at the start of the second half after a tactical intervention from Everton boss Walter Smith.
Don Hutchison was repositioned into an attacking role, with Danny Cadamarteri moving out wide, and the Gateshead-born forward, who would subsequently go on to play for Sunderland, set up his side’s 57th-minute equaliser.
Hutchison muscled his way through the Newcastle defence to tee up defender David Unsworth, who crashed a powerful drive past Shay Given.
A couple of minutes before Everton’s equaliser, Maric had been withdrawn to be replaced by Georgios Giorgiadis, and within eight minutes of coming onto the field, the Greek midfielder was restoring Newcastle’s lead with his first goal for the club.
Myhre saved Hamann’s well-struck free-kick, but could only parry the ball to Materazzi. His attempted clearance ended up with Georgiadis and the Magpies replacement fired home.
Georgiadis joined Newcastle from Panathinaikos and only spent a year with the club before moving on to PAOK Salonika. He only made 12 Magpies appearances, with the FA Cup game against Everton proving to be by far and away his most effective in a black-and-white shirt. Not only did he score his only Newcastle goal, he also set up the third goal that gave his side some much-needed breathing space with 17 minutes remaining.
Georgios Georgiadis celebrates (Image: PA Wire)
Having broken into a pocket of space, Georgiadis teed up Ketsbaia, who drilled home to give Newcastle a two-goal cushion.
That lead was extended further with nine minutes remaining as the home side completed their victory.
Shearer got in on the act, profiting from some unselfishness from Ketsbaia, who passed up the chance for a hat-trick as he rolled the ball to his strike partner, who was left with the easy task of slotting past Myhre.
Alan Shearer scores Newcastle's fourth goal (Image: North News & Pictures)
“We are going in the right direction,” said Gullit, who was in his first season in charge on Tyneside, having been appointed the previous August. “The players are responding well to what we want to do here. I think, sometimes, they don’t believe how well they can play.”
Having made it through the quarter-finals, Newcastle were paired with Tottenham in the semi-finals and triumphed 2-0 at Old Trafford, with Shearer scoring both of the goals in extra-time.
That set up a Wembley final against Manchester United, but Newcastle were comfortably beaten 2-0 through goals from Teddy Sheringham and Paul Scholes.
The Wembley final was very much the high point of Gullit’s reign, as a disastrous start to the following season, culminating in the home derby defeat to Sunderland, saw him dismissed after just five league games.