Newcastle United are no longer heading for Europe's top table - they are marching there and at a rapid rate.
There is now an eight-point gap between Eddie Howe's Magpies and fifth place and if Newcastle keep this up they will be home and dry with a clutch of games to go. If the 6-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur was a statement, this was a warning to any side daring enough to stop them on their path back to Continental competition.
The Toffees went into the game having won just once in nine Premier League fixtures with their last victory at Goodison Park coming on March 11 against Brentford. As the teams entered the pitch Everton fans unveiled a banner simply reading: "Fight for us."
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And fight they did but Newcastle were still the side who laid the first crucial blow on the game - even if it did come almost half an hour into this tense end of season encounter. Whether the fact United's cautious start was down to the hot cauldron of an atmosphere is up for debate, but Everton were the better side early on.
Tension around Goodison was obvious in the build-up to kick off with fans outside the ground letting off fireworks on the tight terraced streets. There was a also a stormy start on the field as Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Sven Botman clashed after an aerial challenge.
Everton's first attack came on five minutes as Alex Iwobi put in a right wing cross for Calvert-Lewin but he could not connect. Moments later Iwobi sent a right-footed shot over the bar at the Park End.
Idrissa Gueye was next to try his look but his effort was gathered easily by Nick Pope. United responded with an attack from Callum Wilson and the Magpies earned a corner.
The initial set-play was cleared a short corner resulted in Bruno's cross being deflected and a similar routine that followed was worked out by the home side who cleared their line. On 11 minutes Sean Longstaff lunged in on Gueye and conceded a dangerous free-kick.
But Gueye's effort was sent over the top and Newcastle escaped any further punishment. A through ball from Amadou Onana sent Calvert-Lewin through on 19 minutes but after turning Fabian Schar he slipped and Newcastle recovered quickly thanks to the Swiss defender.
Dwight McNeil wound up and hit one from long range two minutes later but again Pope gathered the ball calmly. However, Newcastle went ahead pretty much the first time Jordan Pickford was truly tested.
Matt Targett played the ball down the line for Joelinton who fired in a powerful shot which Pickford beat away with Wilson following up to make it 1-0. It put Wilson on a dozen goals for the campaign so far which is a decent tally for a player who has suffered injuries and a loss of form.
Everton's response came when McNeil fired in another long range effort against his ex-Burnley team-mate Pope but again he gathered well. Onana was booked for pulling the shirt of Bruno as the midfield battle intensified.
Newcastle went in 1-0 up at the break but the Magpies made a flying start to the second period. Joe Willock got a glimpse of goal and got his shot away but James Tarkowski got a crucial block in and Everton cleared the corner.
The Magpies were indebted to Pope on 52 minutes when Calvert-Lewin got free again after Iwobi beat Targett but the Toon keeper made a fine block. Targett then picked up a yellow card for time wasting.
Just before the hour mark, Tarkowski flew in on Longstaff with Newcastle claiming a penalty. This review went to VAR but the spot-kick was not awarded and Newcastle held on to their slender lead.
Wilson got in again on 63 minutes but his effort flashed high and wide leaving Everton still in the game. Onana hammered a wild shot at goal on the home side's next attack but it was well off target.
Howe made his first two changes of the night on 68 minutes as Dan Burn and Jacob Murphy replaced the tiring Targett and Almiron. That gave Newcastle some fresh impetus and it soon paid off.
Pickford made the save of the night when he got something on Willock's long range attempt from the left-hand side. After teeing himself from outside the box Pickford somehow managed to tip the ball away.
A second goal wasn't too far away though and if Newcastle needed an insurance goal, it came with 18 minutes left. Burn slotted the ball down the left before Willock made a fine run and cross into the box for Joelintn to head home his eighth of the season and double the lead.
With 16 minutes left, Alexander Isak was introduced for the Magpies and he too would have a say on events on Merseyside. It was game over as Bruno drove into the Everton half before picking out Wilson. The number 9 let fly from outside the box with the ball flying into the top corner to put clear daylight between the Toffees and Newcastle.
Yet Everton managed to pull one back as McNeil scored direct from an inswinging corner to give the home side a flicker of hope with 10 minutes left. And that's all it was - a mere flicker as Newcastle roared back.
And in some style too, this time £63million Isak wriggled down the left before rolling the ball across the face of goal. With Newcastle players queuing up, it was Murphy who tapped home to restore that three-goal cushion with nine minutes left.
Almost to add insult to injury for Everton, Howe dealt one final blow for the home side. With four minutes to go old boy Anthony Gordon replaced Wilson. Of course, the boos cascaded from high in the Goodison stands for the man they sold for £45million. But he seemed to revel in the role.
Elliot Anderson was also thrown on for Joe Willock for the last throes of the match. But after the game had started amid a raucous atmosphere it ended in front of rows of empty seats.
There was still time for Schar to have a howitzer denied by Burn standing in an offside position. Isak and Bruno teed up Murphy in stoppage time but it flew over. It mattered not for Howe's team as the Toon players punched the Merseyside air, they are heading sunnier climes next season barring a total implosion.
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