Newcastle climbed out of the bottom three for the first time since September thanks to a spirited victory over Everton at a gleeful Gallowgate on Tuesday.

Recovering from going behind to record successive wins for the first time this season, Eddie Howe's side chased, pressed and left Frank Lampard deservedly empty-handed after his first league game in charge of the Toffees.

There were towering performances all over the pitch from the black and whites, notably from Kieran Trippier who topped off his night with a stunning free-kick to seal the win.

Behind on 36 minutes when a goal line clearance rebounded off Jamaal Lascelles and into the net, the Magpies captain instantly atoned when his header from Trippier's corner crashed against the cross bar and hit visiting defender Mason Holgate before crossing the line.

Newcastle went ahead 11 minutes after the interval when Ryan Fraser diverted Allan Saint-Maximin's low centre home from five yards out.

And much-needed breathing space came ten minutes from the end of normal time, when Trippier supplied a classic free kick conversion that Pickford was powerless to prevent - although Keegan's famous 1982 quote about the crowd at the Gallowgate End sucking the ball into the net came to mind.

There was still time for substitute Jacob Murphy to ping his shot off a post; a revitalised Joe Willock hammering the rebound straight at the visiting 'keeper.

Amid great applause, Willock then made way for debutant Bruno Guimaraes - the second debutant, with Targett having started and instantly looking at home in the left back position. Fellow new arrival Dan Burn remained on the bench after reporting a slight toe injury in training.

The introduction of Bruno was to be a final flourish, two pieces of trickery from him topping off the evening nicely and giving a hint of what will hopefully follow. Two years ago we were trying (and failing) to muster enthusiasm for a first glimpse of Nabil Bentaleb.

In addition to the goals, United made and missed several other chances: something that was pleasing, given the concerns over quite when top scorer Callum Wilson will be sighted again on a pitch.

The industrious Wood agonisingly placing a header into the arms of Pickford at 1-1 and two good chances for Joelinton - the second ending in some bizarre Brazilian buffoonery when he headed the ball on to his own foot....

Saint-Maximin's evening meanwhile threatened to be a frustrating one until assisting Fraser's goal; repeatedly tormenting the opposition but seeing crosses fizz harmlessly across goal.

As Lampard admitted afterwards, he was unplayable and surely benefited from the assurance that Targett provided behind him. For all the industry of Wood and Fraser, or the welcome resurgence in Willock, Wor Allan remains the talent, his fitness utterly pivotal to our short-term survival.  

Victory was doubly important; not just for the three precious points but also dragging Everton firmly into the relegation mire. The Toffees have now won just once in 15 league games and also have the distraction of a home FA Cup tie against non-league opponents, not to mention a lengthening sick list.

That injury tally was boosted by two before half time here, including the withdrawal of Mina; linked with a move to United last month and seemingly intent on changing shirt and shorts mid-match with Saint-Maximin.

The unsettling effect of those changes was significant, not least for bringing the little waster himself, Deli Alli into view. We were twitching on deadline day when he was linked with a move to SJP, but thankfully that was gossip: the only impression he made tonight was on Joelinton's shin.  

The fragmented fixture list makes it unwise to make predictions or draw conclusions at this point, but we crucially appear to have gained momentum and our destiny again rests in our own hands. The lack of margin for error down there though meant that it took a Palace equaliser at Norwich 24 hours later for United not to drop back into the relegation places.

Having referenced the crowd behaviour and reaction in a separate section above, it seems fitting to return to that here, if only to underline the level of joy that accompanied this victory.

The uplift provided by that victory at Leeds before another fixture break and being active and successful in the transfer market was incalculable; but returning to action tonight looking focused and enthused and responding instantly to a setback was every bit as heartening and important.

And although COVID entry checks may now be a thing of the past, the after-effects of the pandemic remain - the outpouring of positivity is a direct response to that. It's easy to get carried away, but the place was alive.

Relief at seeing their team win is respite from the sheer bloody misery of some lives - and going into the final moments of a home game two goals ahead a genuine novelty for fans, who last enjoyed that feeling first hand against Southampton here in April 2019.

One of our overseas fans making his first permitted return for over two years commented that this was the best atmosphere at a home game against a club outside the top six in years, with singing breaking out across the East Stand, Leazes and Platinum Club - a totally new phenomenon to him. 

Paul Dummett remarked that there were 18 cup finals to come after the draw against Watford in January. Well, tonight was what you dreamt it would be like if we were 90 minutes away from silverware, rather than flaking out after a chorus of Abide with Me. 

A raucous atmosphere that inspired one set of players and inhibited the other, illustrious opponents put to the sword and victory capped off by a picture book goal. Those who compared this to a European night were on the money, except that this atmosphere was better than many of those.

Almost unnoticed amidst the hullabaloo was that the 30th anniversary of Kevin Keegan's managerial debut fell on this day. That saw a 3-0 victory against Bristol City achieved here amid great emotion and a sense that the decline had been arrested - as it was when KK had signed a decade before.

Then as now, the building blocks were starting to be put in place off the field and the future looked bright, notwithstanding the relegation battle that we were - and are - locked in. Let's hope history repeats itself and it really is lift off United rather than another false dawn. Dressing room belief that the job was done proved to be fatal in 2009.

Deserved delight for Howe then and doubtless relief that a new manager bounce is now belatedly evident. The fans may have been up for it since he arrived, but pulling the players out of their Bruce-inspired death spiral took rather longer than may have been anticipated. Onwards and upwards.

Biffa