13 mins Another bungle from referee Lee Mason gave Everton a corner despite Michael Keane clearly heading the ball out of play. In the aftermath of that flag kick, Miguel Almiron was harshly penalised for a coming together with Leighton Baines just outside the home box. 

Mason needed two attempts at marking out the defensive line for the consequent free kick, which was driven into the wall by Gylfi Sigurdsson. He then stabbed the rebound forward into the box, where the faintest of touches by Moise Kean led it falling for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to guide home from the edge of the six yard box in front of the Gallowgate End. 0-1

Half time: Magpies 0 Toffees 1

56 mins Referee Mason spotted that Jetro Willems had been fouled by Theo Walcott as he over-ran the ball down the United left. Willems put over the free kick for Andy Carroll to overpower Siggurdson and supply a headed knock down that was volleyed in from six yards by Fabian Schar. 1-1

64 mins The otherwise diligent Carroll was guilty of surrendering possession on the halfway line, Richarlison and Walcott motoring forward down the Everton right and the former showing Florian Lejeune a clean pair of heels before funnel a low centre to Dominic-Lewin.

The striker ran towards the back post and slid the ball home from close range in classic poacher's style, with another three visiting players in shooting range had Richarlison pulled the ball back.

There was criticism from some quarters about Newcastle players over-committing themselves as the home crowd roared them on to pursue their opponents in their own half. United had got the ball back before Carroll's clanger, but Willems crucially continued a forward run to move out of position. 1-2

Full time: Magpies 1 Toffees 2

Carlo Ancelotti:

"I'm happy as it was a difficult game. Newcastle pushed a lot and at one point they deserved the draw, but we came back into the game and the team is improving. They are trying to adapt and we are only at the beginning. I really enjoyed the result and the performance. 

"As I said after the game on Boxing Day, the spirit of the team is really good. They fight for each other and they enjoy working hard. This is the key to these two victories.

“We are going to work to try to play better football. We had difficulties in the second part of the first half. Newcastle came in the game and it was difficult to avoid their pressure.

"Some parts of the game were really good, but we have to show continuity in the game and not lose control like we did in the last 20 minutes of the first half.

"In the second half we were more in control of the game. It’s true we lost a goal, but the reaction was very good.

"It will be more difficult (in the coming weeks) but, as I said, the spirit is good in the squad and the Club, and we will do our best to achieve good results."

On SJP:

"It remains a fantastic atmosphere. We had difficulty, we suffered a lot."

On two-goal Calvert-Lewin:

"He is a fantastic striker, in my opinion. He is fantastic with the head, clever in the box, sharp. He is young and for this reason he can improve.

He is a humble guy. I think he going to be at the top in England and in Europe. He has all the qualities to be a top striker.”

Newcastle ended 2019 with a first defeat on home soil since the opening day of the season, as a 
goal in each half from visiting striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin gave Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti a first career victory over United at the fourth attempt; the previous three coming with Chelsea.

Trailing at the interval, Fabian Schar's equaliser was to be a rare positive moment for the hosts, watched by a seasonal high of over 52,000 as the free part season ticket offer commenced.

Andy Carroll, Jonjo Shelvey and Isaac Hayden returned to the side beaten 1-4 at Old Trafford 48 hours before as Dwight Gayle and the Longstaffs returned to the bench. There was a start for DeAndre Yedlin, as Javier Manquillo became the latest defender to succumb to injury.

Attacking the Leazes End, an exchange of passes between Joelinton and Miguel Almiron saw the Paraguayan through on goal after just 45 seconds. However, he shot narrowly wide of the target amid hopeful penalty appeals that looked more worthy upon later inspection of the footage.

Unbeaten in their last four games, Everton wasted no time in flooding the United box with crosses and set piece deliveries; making a 13th minute breakthrough through Calvert-Lewin soon after Martin   Dubravka had made a double stop to deny Mason Holgate and Calvert-Lewin.

It took until just before the half hour mark for United to threaten a goal of their own; Jetro Willems eluding two defenders and setting up Almiron to fire against a post; an offside Andy Carroll knocking in the rebound only for the linesman's flag to be rightly raised.

That near miss and the inconsistency of Mason riled home fans and improved the atmosphere substantially: Schar stinging Jordan Pickford’s palms on 38 minutes following a period of sustained home pressure.

A timely block by Dubravka denied Moise Kean early in the second period and after fifty six minutes Newcastle were deservedly level, another Andy Carroll assist finished off by Fabian Schar.

Sadly that was to be as good as it got for the hosts, who never threatened a second goal and were left to rue a plethora of deliveries played to Everton’s roundly-abused wearside-born custodian.

Holgate had the ball in the net on the hour in similar circumstances to us, but it was similarly ruled offside. Just four minutes later Dubravka was beaten again though as Calvert-Lewin made it five goals in as many games - more than our entire forward line has managed all season. 

Newcastle introduced Gayle and Christian Atsu and ended up in a 4-4-2 with the Ghanaian at left back, but all to no avail - the only moment of excitement from a fading home side being Shelvey's free kick into the area that saw Carroll clearly shoved by Djibril Sidibe as he jumped. No penalty.

Those present today did see possibly the most concerted period of attacking that we've managed in any of our home games thus far this season. Territorial gains however weren't matched by actual scoring opportunities and Pickford had an easier afternoon than perhaps even he anticipated.

What looks to be the most daunting of our festive fixtures now arrives with almost indecent haste.

Quite what we have left to try and contain Leicester with - let alone threaten them - remains to be seen, but our prospects of a positive start to 2020 were hardly enhanced today - and were Carroll's current availability to change, then our hopes would be even more forlorn.

Reported injuries to Schar and Joelinton during this game will stretch the squad further should they be serious enough to see them missing on Wednesday and increase the chances still further of fielding a scratch XI in the FA Cup at Rochdale on Saturday. BT Sport will be happy anyway...

Biffa