Newcastle United 0-1 Everton

Tom Cleverley's 93rd-minute winner was his first goal for Everton

Tom Cleverley scored at the death at Newcastle as Everton secured a first Premier League win in five games.

He headed home his first goal for the club after goalkeeper Rob Elliot raced off his line to punch a corner, but sent it straight to the midfielder.

Georginio Wijnaldum went closest for Newcastle, but his powerful header was saved by Tim Howard.

The win moves Everton up to ninth while Newcastle drop into the relegation zone.

Read about how Newcastle's game with Everton unfolded

Results and reaction to all the Boxing Day games

An unlikely source

Jamie Vardy's goals may have propelled the Leicester striker into the limelight this season, but in Romelu Lukaku Everton have the division's deadly striker at the moment. As a result, all eyes were on the Belgium international before kick-off.

Lukaku had scored in each of the Toffees' previous eight games, and needed one more to equal Dixie Dean's record of scoring in nine games in a row for Everton, which has stood for 88 years.

He should have scored when Everton were on top in the opening stages of the first half, but shot straight at Elliot in the Newcastle goal, and had another chance midway through the second half, turning his marker before seeing his powerful drive stopped.

When Lukaku shot over from a rebound after Funes Mori's header was saved, it looked like not being his, or Everton's day.

That was until Cleverley, without a goal in his 10 previous appearances for Everton, kept his composure to head home.

Everton played like the home side, with just three of their outfield players spending most of the game inside their own half. In contrast, just two Newcastle players regularly advanced beyond the halfway line

Harsh on Elliot

Rob Elliot made six saves against Everton

In what has been a miserable season so far for Newcastle, the emergence of Elliot has been of the few positives.

He started the season as Newcastle's third-choice keeper but got his chance to impress when number one Tim Krul was ruled out for the season after injuring himself on international duty in October.

With Krul's deputy, Karl Darlow, out with an ankle injury, Elliot came into the side against Norwich in October and has not looked back.

He was on course for a man-of-the-match performance against Everton, producing a string of fine saves from Lukaku and Aaron Lennon.

A weak punch ultimately proved costly, but the game could have been out of sight long before Cleverley struck if not for Elliot.

Man of the match - Romelu Lukaku

Romelu Lukaku may not have scored, but his overall work rate kept the Newcastle defence busy throughout

What they said

Newcastle boss Steve McClaren: "Last kick of the game, what a huge disappointment. I am disappointed for the players because they gave everything. They did not deserve to lose.

"All we can do is pick ourselves up and go again. We could have won the game, we shouldn't have lost it but we did."

Everton boss Roberto Martinez: "We knew that Newcastle had been very consistent in their last three performances. I was really pleased with the manner in which we played.

"We had a complete performance. We defended well and created a huge amount of chances. To get it in the last minute it feels emotionally a better win."

The stats you need to know

• Everton have lost just one of their past eight Premier League meetings with Newcastle (W6 D1 L1).

• Tom Cleverley scored his first Premier League goal for Everton in his ninth appearance in the competition. He also scored his first league goal for Manchester United against Newcastle.

• Roberto Martinez's men have scored a league-high 10 goals in the final 15 minutes of games this season.

• Newcastle have failed to score in three of their past five home games in the Premier League.

• Everton have scored a joint league-high eight headed goals this season (level with West Brom).

• Romelu Lukaku failed to score in a competitive match for Everton for the first time since 27 October, ending a run of scoring in eight successive matches for the club.

What next?

Newcastle travel to West Brom on Monday while Everton host Stoke on the same day.