Keegan had named a largely settled side for the previous eight games, but he lost Geremi, Obafemi Martins and substitute David Edgar in the run up to the final game of the season at Goodison Park.

Geremi returned to Cameroon after a family bereavement, while Obafemi Martins suffered a knee injury in training.

And Edgar is expected to have a hernia operation this week after pulling out of Keegan's squad on Saturday morning.

Keegan brought in Alan Smith, Damien Duff, Charles N'Zogbia and Andy Carroll in place of Geremi, Joey Barton, Obafemi Martins and Mark Viduka.

But they could not help Newcastle end the season on a high, with only Carroll shining in the 3-1 defeat.

Meanwhile, after the game Keegan's opposite number David Moyes was left to celebrate his club's fifth place after a dramatic last day that at one stage saw rivals Aston Villa on the brink of snatching UEFA Cup football from the Toffees.

He said: "I feel we deserved it. We've been in the top five since the new year, and our form's been coming back in recent games."

But Moyes accepts his side were sweating at one stage in the second half when they knew Villa were winning at West Ham.

Newcastle had just equalised with a Michael Owen penalty, and another goal for the Magpies could have sent Villa into Europe instead.

But in the end, Dean Ashton scored a late equaliser for the Hammers, while Yakubu struck his second of the game for Everton and Joleon Lescott also scored to make sure of the Toffees' win.

Moyes said: "I wanted to win. I wanted 65 points. In many other seasons, that would have got us into the Champions League. When we did achieve that a couple of years ago, we did it with 61 points.

"This is one of my most pleasing seasons at the club, but I always prefer to think that the most pleasing season is still to come."

And Moyes also made it clear that he expects fruitful talks about his new contract "in the next week or so".

Moyes said: "I'm totally relaxed about the situation. I'm due for some talks maybe in a few days, maybe next week.

"Every manager tries to get as much money as he can, but this board have always backed me and I don't expect that to change.

"I am more interested now in preparing for next season, getting the lads back in July and work and I go into that campaign with great optimism."