ON THIS DAY 2007 ...
2007/8 Newcastle 3 Everton 2
NEWCASTLE: Given, Beye, Cacapa, Faye, Jose Enrique,Milner (Emre 74), Geremi (Rozehnal 88), Butt, N'Zogbia,Martins (Owen 74), Smith.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Taylor.
EVERTON: Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Lescott, Baines, Arteta,Carsley, Neville (Yakubu 90), Pienaar (Osman 74),McFadden (Johnson 45), Anichebe.
Subs Not Used: Wessels, Jagielka.
Att: 50,152
England striker Michael Owen came off the bench to inspire Newcastle to a hard-fought victory over Everton.
The 27-year-old confirmed his fitness for England's Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia with a goal just nine days after undergoing hernia surgery.
Owen struck with a header in the final minute of the game after Emre had smashed home a long-range piledriver to seal a game the Magpies might have had wrapped up by half-time.
Nicky Butt had fired the home side in front three minutes before the break after seeing his team-mates pass up a series of opportunities, but Andrew Johnson came off the bench after the break and levelled within eight minutes.
Goalkeeper Shay Given's afternoon was ruined in injury-time when he could only help Mikel Arteta's deflected shot into his own net, but the bulk of a crowd of 50,152 went home happy with the late show they had witnessed.
The presence of Owen's name on the teamsheet, albeit only among the substitutes, came as a huge boost for both Sam Allardyce and England boss Steve McClaren.
However, he was one of only two fit strikers in the 16 with Mark Viduka and Shola Ameobi both absent.
Allardyce's lack of options up front meant Alan Smith was afforded a rare chance to reprise his striking role, and his partnership with Obafemi Martins caused the Everton defence all kinds of problems during the opening 45 minutes.
The Nigerian's pace and movement proved a real headache for Joseph Yobo and Joleon Lescott, and but for some wayward finishing, the game could have been over before the break.
Martins' best chance was his first, which arrived with just four minutes gone when Smith played him in with an intelligent pass.
The striker took his time but with Lescott bearing down on him in a desperate attempt to recover lost ground, dragged his left-foot shot wide of the far post.
Chances came and went for the former Inter Milan man, who did not trouble keeper Tim Howard as much as he should have done, although the American was fully extended to keep out Charles N'Zogbia's 15th-minute drive.
Smith saw a 39th-minute shot deflected just wide by Lescott and then scuffed another straight at the keeper seconds later, and it was left to Butt to show his team-mates how to do it three minutes before half-time.
N'Zogbia and Smith had carved the Toffees open once again down the right and although Lescott managed to clear the ball to the edge of the box, Butt muscled himself into position and then curled an inch-perfect shot into the top corner to leave Howard grasping at thin air.
Everton created little going forward although Victor Anichebe, who was a handful throughout for central defenders Claudio Cacapa and Abdoulaye Faye, saw a 12th-minute header cleared off the line after embarrassing Shay Given from Tony Hibbert's cross.
Moyes made his move at the break when he withdrew James McFadden and sent on the fit-again Johnson in an effort to give his side grater impetus in attack.
Johnson had an immediate impact as he twice drifted into space wide on the left, but he was well marshalled by the home defence as they got back in numbers.
But they were powerless to prevent him from equalising on 53 minutes when Leighton Baines got in on the left to cross for him to fire home from close range.
Johnson's pace and direct approach had helped to change the balance of the game, and the home side found themselves pinned back deep inside their own half and struggling to reassert themselves.
Their cause was not helped by a series of poor set-pieces from which they failed to put any pressure on the Everton goal.
Owen finally arrived with 16 minutes remaining when he and Emre replaced Martins and James Milner as Allardyce attempted to breathe new life into his side.
Had Cacapa and Faye not thrown themselves into the path of Anichebe shots 10 minutes from time, Owen and his team-mates might have finished the game empty-handed.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid frontman forced an 85th-minute save from Howard with a smart shot and Butt headed the resulting corner over the bar, but it was Emre who changed the game.
Owen's cross was cleared to the Turkey international, who unleashed a fierce 25-yard drive into the bottom corner.
The points were assured on the stroke of full-time when Owen headed home Emre's free-kick off the underside of the crossbar, but the home side endured an anxious finish after Arteta's cross clipped Smith and was palmed into his own net by Given.