Newcastle United slumped to yet another defeat on Wednesday night, with Everton the victors at Goodison Park by a 3-0 scoreline.
A highly unambitious game plan was what cost the Toon. Understandably, they were trying to play on the counter away from home and as the underdogs, but they gave Everton too much time, space and respect in truth.
Sitting back in their own half, they invited too much pressure from the Toffees and were to be punished at the midway point of the first period. After warning shots had already been fired, Aaron Lennon finally gave the hosts the lead they deserved with a good strike on the spin.
Steve McClaren opted for a change at the break, one which saw Newcastle switch to the 3-5-2 set-up which was utilised in the 2-1 defeat to Watford in their last Premier League outing.
However, even with changes in personnel, Everton remained on top as Ross Barkley's fierce effort struck the woodwork and Jonjo Shelvey's mistimed header hit his own crossbar too shortly after.
Newcastle showed signs of life late on, carving out a couple of decent chances, but the Merseysiders held on, with two penalties from Barkley - the latter of which resulted in Jamaal Lascelles seeing red - sealing their first victory at Goodison since they beat bottom side Aston Villa 4-0 in November.
Negative Newcastle fall behind
Another game, another chance for Everton to prove their worth to the highly critical sporting world, and it was the Toffees who started the brightest as some slick passing resulted in Tom Cleverley being teed up to shoot - though Rob Elliot's strong left hand denied him an early goal that would have settled the nerves.
Newcastle's game plan was clear - absorb Everton's pressure and then look to break, using the wide outlets of Moussa Sissoko and new signing Andros Townsend, who was making his debut at Goodison Park. However, they sat deep and didn't press with energy, which meant the hosts enjoyed more than the lion's share of the ball both early on and throughout.
The well organised and disciplined nature of their defensive shape meant it was tough for Everton to break through, which frustrated them, leading to shortcuts tried. Long balls started to become a reoccurring theme as the home side attempted to bypass the black and white shirts, albeit unsuccessfully, with most flying into the stands.
Despite their relative success at keeping Everton at bay though, Newcastle weren't doing much for themselves going forward as Romelu Lukaku's free-kick bent just wide of the mark.
This was just a warning shot as, under a minute later, the deadlock was broken and it was Elliot who was picking the ball out of the back of the net - not Joel Robles. Lennon was the scorer; Barkley breaking through into space on the left before finding the former Tottenham Hotspur man on the edge of the box with his back to goal. There, he spun and struck the ball and low and hard at goal, catching the 'keeper completely by surprise to open the scoring.
Changes in personnel - but no changes on the pitch
Having gone behind, one expected Newcastle to come out of their shell a little bit more now, but this was not the case. Everton continued to be allowed time and space to make things happen. An error from Elliot almost allowed Barkley to find the target from distance, whilst Lennon was just an outstretched leg away from doubling the lead - Chancel Mbemba coming up with the block.
The defender's crucial intervention in keeping the score down proved costly, however, as Lascelles had to be introduced at his expense just before half time after he had hurt himself in making the block. Moments before the referee's whistle, this served as yet another blow to Newcastle's so-far bleak season.
It was a change at the break that would serve as a refresher for the travelling fans though as the young and promising winger Rolando Aarons replaced Paul Dummett in a positive substitution. A teasing ball into the box from Daryl Janmaat early into the second period suggested better things were to come for Newcastle too, but these hopes were short-lived as Everton proceeded to take hold of the game once more.
It was another substitute who should have added to the scoreline - Arouna Kone. The striker replaced Lukaku for Everton at the break, who was struggling with a knock, and was in the right place at the right time after Lennon had his shot saved well by Elliot. Nonetheless, after side-stepping his marker, Kone sliced his effort wide of the target.
Aleksandar Mitrovic was McClaren's last throw of the dice - all three of his substitutions used before the hour - but it continued to be Everton on top as Elliot again came to the rescue by tipping Barkley's fierce shot onto the woodwork. Shelvey was counting his lucky stars moments later too, with his attempt at a defensive header also striking the frame of the Newcastle goal.
Toon still in it, but the Toffees make the points stick
Everton's problem this season, however, has been exactly this - failing to put games to bed. Elliot was keeping the Toon in it, with Cleverley's cute attempt from a free-kick his next challenge, but one he faced up to well as he clawed the ball away from danger.
Newcastle were still in the game thanks to their 'keeper, and Mitrovic should have put them on level terms 10 minutes after entering the fray. It was another sub, Aarons, who put in the teasing cross, one which the Serb met well and should have converted, but he simply failed to do so.
Ayoze Perez also had a good chance as we entered the final stages, but Robles was equal to it, beating away his powerful strike despite having had little to do by this point in the game.
If the result was in doubt though, Barkley made sure late on after Aarons brought down Lennon in the box. The England international stepped up confidently and this attitude was shown in his penalty, one which was powerfully driven into the opposite side of the net to which Elliot dived.
Things were then rounded off in stoppage time when a mistake by Lascelles resulted in him fouling Barkley in the box, giving away another penalty and earning himself a red card in the process. The midfielder stepped up to the spot for the second time in just over five minutes and put the cherry on the cake, with his panenka penalty the final action of a game in which the Toffees comfortably saw off a lacklustre and disappointing Newcastle team.