This was the worst performance of Newcastle United's greatest ever season.
Champions League football secured on a day with much more drama for Newcastle than anybody at St James' Park would have bargained for. Their fate, which had been in their own hands, was ultimately decided 150 miles north west at Old Trafford, where Aston Villa lost to Manchester United.
It matters not how it happened, but Newcastle were out-thought and out-fought by David Moyes' resurgent Everton, who revelled in their role as potential party poopers. Carlos Alcaraz's goal never looked like being anything other than the decider, such was the lack of cohesion in the home attack. Eddie Howe got his tactics wrong and didn't manage the game well from there, the players' nerves were clear and nobody took responsibility to change the course of a bad performance in the early stages. They very nearly blew it.
Newcastle United had to rely on other results to qualify for the Champions League
But here they sit, a transformative summer ahead, as a Champions League team with a domestic trophy in the cabinet for the first time in 70 years. Many thought March's Carabao Cup win over Liverpool would derail their aims of a return to European football's top table, but it actually inspired it.
The feel-good factor engulfed the remainder of the season, with every home game until Sunday resulting in victory. Ultimately, they were, alongside a critical draw at Brighton earlier this month, enough to get the job done.
Newcastle can plan for Paris, Madrid or Milan again next season, but this time it is different to the last. When they qualified in their first full campaign of the Saudi Arabian-backed project in 2022/23, it was ahead of schedule; there was no expectation, no pressure to deliver.
Now, it is the complete opposite; for Newcastle to progress into the next phase, Champions League football must become an annual occurence, without the need for celebration.
This was the most compelling race to qualify in years, with just a point separating Manchester City, Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest before kick-off. But all of those clubs needed to succeed; the finances in elite football are so vast nowadays it can be difficult to compete and develop without Champions League money. Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) keep everyone on a tight leash; one afternoon of games can have a ripple effect lasting a long time.
After not signing anybody to bolster their first team since they last qualified, Newcastle are in a strong position to spend big this summer. Eddie Howe has already had transfer discussions with the board, and he wants swift movement. Early momentum will be crucial.
"When we haven't been active in the market for so long, there is a danger that the squad weakens because you haven't been doing what you need to do to refresh the group," Howe said after the game.
"There is an intention around the club to do that. The power and pull of the Champions League is huge; we can't get away from that. It is a selling point for us. We have to be dynamic, speed is key.
"Good players don't hang around for long. I will have conversations with the chairman today; we've been working hard to set things up. We have no PSR issues as far as I am aware."
Established names are unlikely, Howe says, with the aim to develop them from within. With that in mind, keeping those on that journey is just as important. Alexander Isak returned from a groin injury far too soon in order to help the team over the line, looking a shadow of himself.
Everybody knows how good he is and can be; any and every club in Europe would love to sign him. Newcastle understand sooner or later, a new contract will be required, despite three years remaining on his current deal. The Champions League is where he belongs, and the club must do everything it can to avoid being outgrown. Had things gone another way, serious questions would have been asked of his future.
Obvious issues remain; depth is lacking, and there have been times when Newcastle have looked stale this season. Sunday was the worst showing in a long time, but it is a timely reminder. They do not need only refreshing, now is the time for the next stage. Two years ago, it was about testing themselves to see what stage they were at. Now, they sre ready to really prove themselves.
Against Everton, it was a close call. Newcastle's future could have looked very different. But now, they are on the cusp of something truly special; this summer will prove it.
