EVERTON 3
NEWCASTLE UNITED 1
Premier League
Goodison Park
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Kick-off 3pm

Craig Hope reports from Goodison Park ...

MATCH REPORT

NEWCASTLE United ended the season with defeat as Everton made sure of their UEFA Cup place following a 3-1 victory at Goodison Park.

The Toffees took the lead after 28 minutes, Nigerian striker Yakubu heading home Manuel Fernandes' teasing deadball from eight yards out.

The hosts dominated the remainder of the opening period and were denied a second by a combination of some last-ditch defending and fine goalkeeping from Steve Harper.

But the scores were level within two minutes of the second period, Michael Owen blasting under Tim Howard from the penalty spot after Charles' N'Zogbia's purposeful forward burst had ended in Yobo tripping the Frenchman inside the area.

Everton, needing just a point to guarantee fifth spot, all but sealed European qualification in the 70th minute when Joleon Lescott netted his 10th of the season from close range.

And the scoring was complete with eight minutes remaining, Yakubu bagging his second of the afternoon with a cooly taken penalty after Steven Taylor had fouled Leon Osman.

SECOND HALF ACTION (click refresh for latest) ...

90+2min - Rammy's first involvement is to hack behind at the near post from Gravesen's centre. Butt hooks clear from the flag-kick.

90+1min - Peter Ramage comes on for his final outing in black and white with Steven Taylor making way. For Everton, Jack Rodwell replaces Lee Carsley.

There will be two minutes added time.

88min - Carsley stings the palms of Harper with vicious strike from 20 yards which the Toon keeper does well to keep out.

85min - Leighton Baines and Thomas Gravesen replaces Victor Anichebe and Joseph Yobo.

84min - United have a corner as N'Zogbia drives into the penalty area and sees his powerful shot palmed behind by Howard. Taylor impedes the Toffees keeper from N'Zogbia's flag-kick.

82min - EVERTON GOAL (3-1): YAKUBU nets his second of the game, this time from the penalty spot after Taylor had tripped Osman just inside the area.

79min - Kazenga LuaLua replaces Jose Enrique.

78min - Duff is tugged back by Lescott and United have a free-kick. N'Zogbia crosses and Taylor is inches away from turning back across goal at the far post with the ball bouncing away for a goal-kick.

75min - Steve Harper keeps United in the game as he manages to divert Anichebe's low effort around the post after the striker had been slipped in on goal by Osman. Carroll clears from the flag-kick.

74min - United have a corner but nothing comes of it as N'Zogbia crosses to the far post.

70min - EVERTON GOAL (2-1): Owen and Carsley go shoulder-to-shoulder with Peter Walton harshly ruling the United skipper to have fouled the Toffees midfielder. The free-kick is worked short with Fernandes delivering to the far post where JOLEON LESCOTT turns home for his 10th of the season after Taylor wasn't able to get enough on his attempted headed clearance.

67min - Cacapa is done all ends up by Anichebe midway inside United's half and the young forward scampers into the penalty area, he squares looking for the run of the fast-arriving Yakubu but the ball skids across goal and away to safety with the Nigerian ending up in the back of the net.

66min - Smith follows Duff into the book for a late, sliding challenge on Pienaar.

63min - The Geordies are beginning to enjoy some attacking possession and a fluent move down the left flank ends in Carroll being flagged offside from Butt's looping delivery.

58min - The Magpies are again camped in their own half and Jagielka heads over from a Fernandes centre.

55min - The hosts have stepped it up a gear since United's equaliser and they have another corner as Smith slides to challenge Yakubu. Fernandes delivers with the ball cutting through a crowd of bodies before being cleared by Enrique.

53min - Everton have another free-kick in a similar position which again Fernandes takes, this time he goes for height and Harper has to produce a top-drawer save to palm over the crossbar. Pienaar takes the flag-kick with Yobo heading over.

52min - Taylor catches Fernandes with a stray arm on the angle of the penalty area and the hosts have a free-kick. The Portugal midfielder crosses and it takes a combination of Harper, Carroll and Butt to clear the danger.

50min - Anichebe rolls the challenge of Taylor 25 yards out but drags his shot wide of the Magpie goal.

47min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-1): United are level with two minutes of the restart, MICHAEL OWEN drilling a penalty under Tim Howard after N'Zogbia had been tripped by Yobo following a great run into the area - it's the skipper's 13th of the season.

United have emerged for the second half with Claudio Cacapa having replaced Abdoulaye Faye. Everton get the game restarted.

FIRST HALF ACTION

That's it, half-time at Goodison with the hosts leading 1-0 thanks to Yakubu's effort.

There will be two minutes added time.

40min - A brief respite for the Magpies sees N'Zogbia deliver another teasing cross, again though United fail to capitalise.

38min - Harper is again called into action as this time he shows strong wrists to save from Osman.

37min - Anichebe is in the thick of the action and could have made it two as Harper spills his low shot just inches wide of the upright at the expense of a corner. The flag-kick is worked short and when Neville eventually crosses Yakubu meets to head a foot over the bar - the hosts are well on top and United are camped in their own half.

36min - Anichebe takes two United players out of the game with a delightful backheel which frees Fernandes, he meaures a low, curled effort towards Harper's far corner and the Toon stopper has to be at full-stretch to save as he palms clear.

34min - The hosts think they have a second when Yakubu again heads home from close range, a linesman's flag denies the Nigerian a second with Lescott, the provider, in an offside position.

32min - Duff is fouled at the other end 30 yards out. N'Zogbia lines up the strike and is unlucky to see his sizzling, left-footed strike skim inches above Howard's target.

29min - EVERTON GOAL (1-0): Pienaar delivers the resulting free-kick into a packed penalty area and it's YAKUBU who climbs highest unmarked eight yards from goal to head beyond Harper to give the hosts the lead.

28min - Duff sees yellow for a blatant tug on Pienaar.

27min - A brilliant opportunity goes begging for United as N'Zogbia's low cross skids across the face of goal with no black and white shirt in sight.

24min - Enrique loses Anichebe and the young forward darts inside along the by-line, he crosses low and hard towards the near post where Harper blocks before the recovering Enrique hoofs clear.

20min - Fernandes delivers a trademark, whipped free-kick, Harper rushes from his line to fist clear, the danger is not over and Osman turns goalwards with his back to the target, luckily for United his hooked effort bounces wide with Faye grounded inside the six-yard area following a collision with Harper.

17min - The Toffees fail to clear an N'Zogbia free-kick but after a game of head tennis inside the area it's Howard who claims from Taylor's jump.

15min - Everton have enjoyed the better of the last five minutes and a neat move involving at least ten passes ends when Anichebe fails to read Yakubu's flick with Harper able to gather the loose ball inside the penalty area.

10min - Yakubu gets past the challenge of Butt 25 yards out, Duff is covering to block but he also loses out to the Nigerian, the angle opens up for a shot but the striker drags his left-foot effort wide of Harper's far post.

7min - N'Zogbia slips a ball inside to Carroll, the young striker weighs up his options and decides to have a go, it's a decent effort from all of 25 yards but Howard has enough time to react and gathers low to his left.

4min - Fernandes receives from Pienaar in a central position 20 yards from goal, the Portugal midfielder decides to have a crack but his effort clears Steve Harper's crossbar.

2min - Enrique frees N'Zogbia on the left with a measured ball in-behind Neville, there aren't a lot of options in the area and the French winger chooses to drill low towards the near post, Michael Owen is arriving but Tim Howard is able to gather at the second attempt.

It's blue skies and sunshine over Goodison Park as Michael Owen and Andy Carroll get the game underway.

TEAM NEWS

KEVIN Keegan makes four changes to the side which was beaten by Chelsea on Monday with Geordie teenager Andy Carroll handed his full debut.

The 19-year-old has made five substitiute appearances so far this term but will start for the first time alongside skipper Michael Owen in attack.

Carroll comes in for the injured Mark Viduka (Achilles), while Alan Smith deputises for Oba Martins.

Joey Barton (bail conditions) and Geremi are also missing, Charles N'Zogbia and Damien Duff their replacements.

January arrival Ben Tozer is named on the bench for the first time, while Peter Ramage could feature in his final match for the club having also been included among the United subs.

TEAMS

EFC: Tim Howard, Joseph Yobo, Joleon Lescott, Phil Jagielka, Phil Neville (c), Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman, Yakubu, Manuel Fernandes, Lee Carsley, Victor Anichebe
Subs: Leighton Baines, Thomas Gravesen, Daniel Gosling, Stefan Wessels, Jack Rodwell

NUFC: Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Jose Enrique, Steve Taylor, Abdoulaye Faye, Nicky Butt, Charles N'Zogbia, Damien Duff, Alan Smith, Michael Owen (c), Alan Smith, Andy Carroll
Subs: Fraser Forster, Claudio Cacapa, Peter Ramage, Ben Tozer, Kazenga LuaLua

Referee: Peter Walton
Attendance: tbc

UNITED @ GOODISON - Premiership Years

2006/07: 0-3
2005/06: 0-1
2004/05: 0-2
2003/04: 2-2 Shearer 2 (2 pens)
2002/03: 1-2 Robert
2001/02: 3-1 Bellamy, Solano, Acuna
2000/01: 1-1 Unsworth og
1999/00: 2-0 Hughes, Dyer
1998/99: 0-1
1997/98: 0-0
1997/98: 1-0 Rush (FAC)
1996/97: 0-2
1995/96: 3-1 Ferdinand, Lee, Kitson
1994/95: 0-1 (FAC)
1994/95: 0-2
1993/94: 2-0 Cole, Beardsley

FACTS AND FIGURES