Everton 3 : Newcastle 1

Record signing Ayegbeni Yakubu struck twice to send Everton back into Europe for the third time in four seasons as the Toffees completed a 3-1 win over Newcastle.

The 11 million pounds that boss David Moyes paid for Yakubu has clearly paid off, with fifth place now secured.

'The Yak' took his tally for the campaign to 21, and became the first Everton player to top 20 since Peter Beardsley 16 years ago.

Yakubu's first was a powerful header, and his second a late penalty. In between Joleon Lescott had settled Everton's nerves by putting the club ahead again after a Michael Owen penalty had taken Newcastle level just seconds into the second-half.

At one stage Aston Villa - struggling to overtake Everton - was leading at West Ham, but that game ended 2-2 and Everton was already home and dry having held fifth place since the new year.

Everton was without injured pair Tony Hibbert and Andrew Johnson for this final game of the season, while player of the year Lescott passed fit despite knowing he will need treatment on a knee problem during the summer.

Everton brought in Victor Anichebe up front while Newcastle was missing Geremi, Joey Barton, Mark Viduka and Obafemi Martins from the side that lost at home to Chelsea on Monday. Damien Duff, Alan Smith, Charles N'Zogbia and Andrew Carroll came into the Geordies' line-up.

Sun-drenched Goodison Park was packed and with a tremendous atmosphere. This was due in no small measure to the constant chanting from the Newcastle hordes, much of which was in support of Kevin Keegan.

It was 20 year-old Carroll - making his full league debut - who had the first shot, an effort on the turn that forced Tim Howard into a save to his right.

Manuel Fernandes fired over from 20 yards for Everton, while Yakubu saw a low drive just miss the far post, with Anichebe just inches away from a connection.

Referee Peter Walton had been lenient over a few tackles and some blatant holding but booked Damien Duff for pulling back Fernandes.

Fernandes got up to take the free-kick himself, and lifted it into the box for Yakubu to power a header past Steve Harper, his 20th of the season, after 28 minutes.

Newcastle's response was a 25-yard free-kick from N'Zogbia that dipped a foot over Howard's bar, but the Magpies were penned back from then on.

Yakubu had the ball in the net again with a close-range header, set-up by Lescott's nod back into the six-yard box. But Lescott was judged marginally offside and the effort was ruled out.

Harper punched away from Fernandes and Leon Osman curled a 20-yarder just wide as Everton sought to make the most of possession and territorial advantage.

Then Harper managed to save a Yakubu effort at full stretch, before fumbling the ball behind as he lay on the pitch.

The barrage continued when Anichebe saw a powerful header fly just over before Harper saved well from an Osman drive. Newcastle was hanging on now for the break and only a Harper kick away from Steven Pienaar avoided more trouble.

Newcastle replaced the injured Abdoulaye Faye with Claudio Cacapa at the break, and went level within 30 seconds of the restart.

Joseph Yobo, caught off balance by a swerving run by N'Zogbia, sent the Newcastle forward flying in the box, and referee Walton pointed to the