Everton's hopes of retaining their Premier League status suffered a devastating blow as Newcastle United ran riot in a 4-1 win at Goodison Park.
A promising period of first-half pressure paled into insignificance for the hosts, who succumbed to goals from Callum Wilson (2), Joelinton and Jacob Murphy, while Dwight McNeil came up with an inconsequential response directly from a corner.
Despite the 16 places and 31 points separating the two sides at opposite ends of the Premier League table, Sean Dyche's side used the Goodison Park atmosphere to their advantage and had Newcastle camped in their own half early doors.
Idrissa Gueye in particular was proving a menace to deal with and tested Nick Pope with an eighth-minute drive from distance, but it was meat and drink for the Englishman in between the sticks.
However, failure to capitalise on opportunities against a side of Newcastle's mould is dangerous, and the Magpies took the lead against the run of play thanks to Everton's public enemy number one.
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With 28 minutes on the clock, Joelinton's strike was kept out by Jordan Pickford, but the shot-stopper could only parry the ball into the path of Wilson, who was in the right place at the right time to poke home into the roof of the net.
Wilson's seventh goal from his last six games against Everton was the true definition of a sucker punch, but the spirit of Dyche's side was not dampened, and the Toffees thought that they had drawn level with seconds remaining in the first half.
Into the third and final minute of added time, McNeil's through ball found Dominic Calvert-Lewin to chip the onrushing Pope, but the linesman's flag went up for offside, which was confirmed by VAR - albeit by the tightest of margins.
Tight margins were also the theme in the first minute of the second half, as James Tarkowski heroically cleared Joe Willock's effort off the line before Calvert-Lewin forced a strong save from Pope down the other end in the 51st minute.
Any attempts from the home side to build a head of steam were disrupted by Newcastle players dropping to the turf, but the Magpies' game management skills worked a treat as they doubled their lead with 72 minutes gone.
Only a few minutes after forcing Pickford into a full-stretch save with a stunning volley, Willock got to the byline and cut back for Joelinton, whose header into the ground bounced into the back of the net.
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By the 75-minute mark, the Toffees' misery had been well and truly compounded, as Wilson netted his second of the match in style - finding the top corner with a wonderful curler from the edge of the box.
Several hitherto hopeful home supporters began to head for the exits, but those that stayed witnessed McNeil's 80th-minute corner evade everyone and nestle into the side of the net to give Dyche's side a slice of hope.
However, that slice of hope was brutally extinguished seconds later, as Alexander Isak astonishingly weaved his way in and out of challenges on the left-hand side, advanced into the penalty area and picked out Murphy to blast home from a couple of yards out.
Eddie Howe's side thought they had a fifth in the 90th minute as Fabian Schar bettered Wilson's second with a beautiful curler into the bottom corner from long range, but Dan Burn was offside earlier in the move, and the goal was chalked off following a VAR review.
Missing the chance to rise above the dotted line, Everton remain 19th - two points adrift of safety - before they meet Leicester City in a mouthwatering basement battle on Monday, while Newcastle remain above Manchester United in third ahead of Sunday's home clash with basement side Southampton.
Ben Knapton
