Newcastle United clinched a coveted Champions League spot despite suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Everton at St. James’s Park on the final day of the Premier League season.
Their qualification was sealed thanks to Manchester United’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Old Trafford.
Under Eddie Howe’s leadership, the Magpies secured fifth place with 66 points, edging past Villa on goal difference.
Earlier in the campaign, Newcastle celebrated ending a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy by lifting the League Cup after defeating Liverpool.
The final whistle in Newcastle’s game didn’t immediately spark celebrations. Instead, fans endured an anxious wait for confirmation from Manchester.
When news of Villa’s defeat finally arrived, a wave of relief swept through the stands, culminating in euphoric cheers as the Champions League anthem echoed around the stadium.
Newcastle were the more assertive side throughout the match but lacked precision in the final third. Wasteful finishing and lapses in concentration proved costly.
A moment of visible frustration came in the 38th minute when defender Fabian Schär gave Jacob Murphy a verbal dressing-down after the midfielder carelessly surrendered possession in a lethargic midfield move.
Despite creating several opportunities, Newcastle’s delivery into the box was frequently lacking in quality.
Any shots that did test the Everton goal were confidently handled by Jordan Pickford, who put in a solid performance.
Their sloppiness was ultimately punished in the 65th minute when Everton capitalised on another midfield error. Vitaliy Mykolenko delivered an inviting cross that Carlos Alcaraz headed home with style.
Determined to end on a high note, Newcastle pressed for an equaliser late on. Bruno Guimarães came close in stoppage time, unleashing a fierce shot that flew narrowly past the top corner, but it wasn’t to be.
Everton, resolute and unyielding, held firm until the final whistle. They concluded their campaign in 13th place with 48 points, denying Newcastle the satisfaction of a result but unable to dampen the celebrations sparked by events at Old Trafford.