A double salvo during an inspired second half performance from Norwich City saw them leapfrog both Southampton and Watford to move within a point of the safety places.
However, another disappointing display from Everton leaves them rooted in the bottom half of the table with Marco Silva's position severely under pressure once again.
Visitors stronger in the opening 45
Both sides appeared keen to take all three points, despite the likes of Alex Iwobi, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Marco Stiepermann and Emi Buendia being dropped to the bench for their respective clubs, the latter after a contrasting spell of form in the opening months of the Premier League.
Whilst the away defence looked much more compact with the returning Christoph Zimmermann bolstering their options, Everton were cut open far too easily with the first chance of note as Onel Hernandez raced through the channel only for his driven effort to be brilliantly saved by the diving Jordan Pickford.
Hernandez has made a real impact as the first Cuban to grace the Premier League and he continued to cause problems, whipping a ball to the back post where Todd Cantwell steadied himself before blazing just over.
A handful of jeers were to meet the half-time whistle, underpinning a lack of creativity in a dry opening 45 minutes for the hosts.
Pukki and Cantwell reignite their partnership
Norwich were beginning to show some real fight in their football for the first time in a number of weeks and Ben Godfrey produced an extremely brave block to keep out Cenk Tosun as an overhit corner was recycled.
And it was virtually back to the recipe that served them so well in the opening weeks of the season to break the deadlock.
Teemu Pukki picked up a flicked Kenny McLean header, holding off Mason Holgate and Yerry Mina before releasing Todd Cantwell into space. The 21-year old held his nerve to slot past Pickford for just his side's third goal in over 12 hours of football since their last victory.
Sigurdsson threatens at one end before a crucial heavy touch at the other
McLean was beginning to pull the strings and Norwich should have doubled their lead on the hour mark as the Scotsman's corner found Sam Byram unmarked but his placed header drifted wide of the mark.
The introduction of Calvert-Lewin made a difference for the hosts and his strength was enough to occupy the Norwich defenders as Gylfi Sigurdsson began to find space in and around the penalty area.
The Icelander had a series of efforts before Tim Krul pounced on a curled shot, seconds before Tosun was kept out by the Premier League veteran in a stretched save similar to Pickford's heroics at the other end of the pitch earlier in the contest.
Yet it was a touch from Sigurdsson in his own box that eventually sealed the contest as the midfielder failed to clear his lines, substitute Dennis Srbeny pouncing on the loose ball before carving his placed effort into the corner of the net.
Key takeaway from the game
Fine margins threaten to derail Marco Silva's tenure
The final 25 minutes of Gylfi Sigurdsson's display underpin a far too familiar tale for Everton in recent weeks.
Whilst The Toffees, in particular Sigurdsson, had opportunities to get back into the contest, they were eventually made to pay for switching off late in the game around their own penalty area.
This is their sixth league defeat in nine and they have failed to capitalise on increased pressure before conceding vital goals in the last 20 minutes during all but one of those defeats.