By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor

At St. James' Park

Newcastle United 0

Everton 1 (Cleverley 90)

Tom Cleverley's last-gasp header denied Newcastle United a deserved Barclays Premier League point as they suffered a 1-0 defeat at home against Everton on Boxing Day.

The former Manchester United man pounced with the last kick of the game to nod home from a corner and inflict a cruel defeat on the Magpies, who deserved so much more following a superb performance in which they defended heroically at one end and were always a threat at the other.

Everton dominated long periods of the first half but couldn't find a way past goalkeeper Rob Elliot, who saved well from Kevin Mirallas and Romelu Lukaku.

At the other end, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Georginio Wijnaldum both headed wide, while into the second half, Mitrovic, Ayoze Perez and Wijnaldum all looked likely to break the deadlock.

However, with just seconds remaining, Cleverley achieved it, and looped home a header as United failed to clear their lines properly from a corner.

The defeat was harsh on Newcastle, whose effort and commitment could not be faulted, and a standing ovation from the St. James' Park crowd on the final whistle recognised that.

Steve McClaren's side will now look to bounce back on Monday as they travel to West Bromwich Albion.

The Toffees made much of the early running and Leighton Baines fired a warning shot in the sixth minute when he curled a 25-yard free-kick over the wall but also over the bar.

Kevin Mirallas was next to try his luck - trying to sneak one under Rob Elliot from the tightest of angles but finding United's goalkeeper in fine form as he blocked the effort with his legs.

Elliot smothered another Mirallas strike in the 19th minute - a low shot from the edge of the area - as Newcastle struggled to gain a foothold on the contest.

It seemed only a matter of time before the visitors broke the deadlock but on 25 minutes Newcastle conjured up a chance of their own, completely against the run of play.

Neat interplay between Vurnon Anita, Moussa Sissoko and Daryl Janmaat led to the latter swinging a dangerous delivery into the heart of the six-yard box, but Mitrovic could only glance wide under pressure from Everton defender John Stones.

The Toffees were soon back on the front foot, however, and Elliot made another excellent stop, this time keeping out Lukaku who found a some space on the right-hand side of the area before pulling the trigger.

But having weathered the storm, United were slowly growing into the game. Mitrovic again nodded wide, this time from Sissoko's delivery, before turning provider as Ayoze Perez was agonisingly close to connecting with the Serbian's flick.

The tide appeared to have turned, the Magpies were enjoying good spells of possession for the first time in the match, and Wijnaldum glanced another outstanding Sissoko cross narrowly wide at the Gallowgate End.

Having gone in goalless at half-time, the opening exchanges of the second period were pretty even, although Elliot was called upon again twice in as many minutes, first keeping out Lukaku's angled drive with his legs, and then getting down to his right to get a strong hand behind Aaron Lennon's low effort.

Clear-cut chances were sparse but in the 71st minute Perez cut in off the left and dragged a strike agonisingly wide of Tim Howard's near post.

Buoyed by that, the hosts went on the offensive. A superb interception deep in his own half by captain Fabricio Coloccini set a fast-flowing counter-attack in motion and as Mitrovic rose above Ramiro Funes Mori to head powerfully goalwards there looked like being only one result. However, the Serbian's effort flew just off target, with Howard static.

Howard pulled off a brilliant save moments later, somehow pushing Wijnaldum's far-post header to safety and then seeing one of his defenders make a brilliant block to keep out the follow-up from Perez.

But it was end-to-end stuff and Elliot's evening was far from over, with the stopper making another outstanding stop to deny Funes Mori's downward header that looked certain to break the deadlock.

However, there was still time for one final twist and with the last kick of the game, right at the end of three minutes of stoppage time, Cleverley pounced on a loose ball from a corner to nod home and finally break the Magpies' resistance.

Newcastle United (4-4-2): Rob Elliot; Daryl Janmaat, Chancel Mbemba, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Paul Dummett; Moussa Sissoko, Vurnon Anita, Jack Colback, Georginio Wijnaldum; Ayoze Perez (Florian Thauvin 87), Aleksandar Mitrovic

Subs not used: Karl Darlow, Kevin Mbabu, Cheick Tiote, Siem de Jong, Yoan Gouffran, Ivan Toney

Everton (4-2-3-1): Tim Howard; Seamus Coleman, John Stones, Ramiro Funes Mori, Leighton Baines; Tom Cleverley, Gareth Barry (c); Aaron Lennon (Muhamed Besic 69), Ross Barkley (Gerard Deulofeu 69), Kevin Mirallas (Leon Osman 85); Romelu Lukaku

Subs not used: Joel Robles, Brendan Galloway, Darron Gibson, Arouna Kone

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)

Bookings: Newcastle United - Janmaat (11), Colback (82); Everton - Barry (36), Barkley (63)

Attendance: 51,682 (3,200 Everton)