Newcastle United will end the day in the relegation zone having fallen to a late defeat at the hands of Everton at St James' Park this evening.

Both sides squandered good chances over the course of the match, but it was Tom Cleverley who provided the 93rd-minute knockout blow to hand the Toffees all three points on Boxing Day.

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It was the visitors who made the brighter start to the match on Tyneside, and they would have taken the lead after just seven minutes but for a good save from Rob Elliot, who denied Kevin Mirallas at the near post.

Elliot denied Mirallas again midway through the half, but it was Newcastle who squandered arguably the best chance of the opening 45 minutes when Aleksandar Mitrovic planted a header wide having been picked out by Daryl Janmaat.

Everton continued to craft clear openings of their own, however, and Romelu Lukaku perhaps should have continued his fine recent scoring form when sent clean through, although his effort from a difficult angle was straight at Elliot.

Mirallas, back in the starting lineup for Everton, was the most wasteful in the opening 45 minutes, though, and he sent another header over the top in the closing stages of the half having been picked out by Aaron Lennon.

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Lennon was the provider again for the first chance of the second half as his cross picked out Cleverley, who saw his effort deflected wide by Janmaat before Elliot denied Lukaku just one minute later.

Newcastle began to get themselves back into the match again during the final 20 minutes, with Ayoze Perez sending one shot wide and Mitrovic spurning another glorious headed opportunity shortly afterwards as the scoreline remained goalless.

Georginio Wijnaldum was the next to threaten for the hosts as Tim Howard denied the Dutchman, before Elliot again came to his side's rescue at the other end of the pitch by saving a Ramiro Funes Mori effort, while Lukaku put the rebound over the bar.

The Toffees appeared to have wasted their final chance for a winner when Lukaku was dispossessed by Chancel Mbemba having made his way into the box, but Cleverley struck with the final touch of the game as he nodded home into an empty net after Elliot had failed to adequately clear a corner.

The result lifts Everton back into the top half of the table, while Newcastle stay in the bottom three on goal difference.