Twice the Magpies levelled through Jacob Ramsey and substitute Jacob Murphy, but on both occasions they conceded goals within two minutes, and Everton substitute Thierno Barry bundled in the winner seven minutes from time.
The defeat leaves Eddie Howe’s side in 12th place and 12 points adrift of the Champions League places.
WOLTEMADE EXPERIMENT BACKFIRES
Was this the end of the Nick Woltemade midfield experiment?
Probably not, but it definitely didn’t work at all against Everton. So uncomfortable looked the German in midfield and Joelinton out on the left flank that Howe felt the need to tinker after just half an hour, moving Woltemade up front, the Brazilian into midfield and Anthony Gordon over to the left.
Within two minutes of that change, Ramsey levelled for Newcastle, his shot from the edge of the area taking a big deflection off Jarrad Branthwaite, who had put Everton in front 13 minutes earlier.
Newcastle’s joy was short lived, but the opening half hour will give Howe plenty to ponder. Early on, Joelinton was repeatedly sloppy with his touch and the Brazilian’s presence was missed in midfield, where the game was passing Woltemade by.
It was substitute Joe Willock who was sent down the line after half an hour to alert the players of the positional switch.
Howe has been encouraged by Woltemade in a deeper role but this, after a disappointing midweek display against Qarabag, was more evidence that a lot more work is required. Woltemade was hooked before the hour.
NEWCASTLE PUNISHED FOR SLOW START AND POPE SHOCKER
Newcastle’s league inconsistency has infuriated Howe this season but after four wins from five, this felt like a good opportunity to finally kick-start a much-needed surge.
The Magpies, though, didn’t start or play like a team intent on taking that chance. They were sluggish and sloppy early on and didn’t muddy the gloves of Jordan Pickford until they were behind.
Branthwaite punished Newcastle for their slow and sluggish start and met James Garner’s corner at the front post with a superb header.
Everton arrived on Tyneside having lost just one of nine away games and looked the more comfortable of the sides throughout. How furious Moyes will have been, then, when the Toffees led their lead slip.
But Everton were level for just two minutes and gifted a second goal when Nick Pope failed to hold on to what should have been a routine save. Dwight McNeil’s shot should have been an easy gather for the keeper but not only did he fail to keep hold, he also diverted the ball back towards Beto, who couldn’t miss. It came in the week that reports claimed Newcastle will prioritise the signing of a new goalkeeper in the summer.
Beto should have scored his second and Everton’s third on the hour mark when he pounced on Malick Thiaw uncertainty and raced in on goal. Despite only having Pope to beat, the striker never looked confident and hit the bar.
WHAT BURN DID
It was noticeable that when Murphy equalised for Newcastle with eight minutes to play, rather than race back and attempt to roar the Magpies forward, Dan Burn set about going around his teammates and trying to calm them down.
It was almost certainly with Newcastle’s woeful game-management this season and what happened in the first half in mind. Time and again this term, the Magpies have been punished for their naivety in the management of games, conceding a string of late goals earlier in the campaign.
In the first half, they switched off after levelling. Burn’s message was no doubt to make sure that didn’t happen again. The message didn’t get through. Just a minute after their second equaliser, Gordon conceded possession and Dewsbury-Hall squared for substitute Thierno Barry to bundle in.
GORDON’S EVERTON WOE CONTINUES
Gordon was booed by the Everton fans who haven’t forgiven the forward for the manner of his Merseyside exit.
Gordon has been frustrated in this fixture since swapping blue for black and white and once again the England international struggled against his former employers. Indeed, it was Gordon who conceded possession that led to Everton’s winner and he was replaced soon after.
And it was Gordon's England teammate and fellow pantomime villain in this fixture who had the last laugh. Deep in stoppage time, Jordan Pickford made a stunning stop to push Sandro Tonali's goal-bound effort onto the crossbar.
"What a save," bellowed David Moyes as he turned to his support team in the dugout. Pickford was then serenaded by the Everton fans at full-time.