Matthias Jaissle said:

"Shocking and frustrating (but) if you just see the bigger picture, we did well in many aspects of the game.

"We of course are disappointed with the result, it's also a bit shocking at the moment because overall the game was not that bad, but it's a bit the story of the season so far, that in situations where it really counts we lack the clinical approach to solve the situations.

"Just thinking about the first one again, it's no risk zone, we clear the ball and nothing happens, and a couple of seconds later we concede a goal out of nothing.

"The second one is also frustrating in my point of view, we deserved to have a penalty (for a foul on Harvey Barnes), on the other hand then we miss in a transition to defend our own box which again is difficult to accept. We have clear rules then how to behave ...We need to learn quickly...

"For me it's about being mature in the situations, more clinical to solve the situations and not allowing almost a gift for the opposition to score. It feels like the opposition is not giving us these gifts at the moment so we need to avoid that.

"These are the things we need to learn quickly. We had many occasions, many opportunities to score, big chances as well, but in their box we need to be more clinical to get a different result.

"We need to avoid these mistakes, be more mature, be more clinical in these situations.

"This is a learning process, but you don't get the time. We need to learn fast, especially with these young lads. Being a young team is not an excuse any more."

David Moyes said:

"I thought it was a tough game. Newcastle had moments in the game, but I think the Premier League is a bit like this at the moment.

"I think the games are quite close. You could be defending for 20 minutes and then you might be better for another 20 minutes. I think the games are very tight.

"Obviously we got goals at good times, certainly the third goal sort of killed the game off at that time when Newcastle were probably better at the start of the second half.

"...really pleased to get through. I think when you talk about cup games, you can talk about how you play, what you would like, what you want to do better, but ultimately the only thing that really matters is getting the result if you want to get through.

"I think the minute you use the word quarter finals then you start to think, 'this sounds good. I think we're pleased that we've been able to get to this stage of the competition.

"If we can keep it going great, obviously."

On the absence of loanee Jack Grealish:

"I don’t really want to speak too much about. It’s a club decision, so I support the decision.

"The club are the people you should go to if you’re looking for more information.

"The one thing about Everton and what they’ve got is they’ve got really good values behind it. All the players stand up to the values, accept the values Everton put out there, what we want from them on the pitch and off the pitch, and from that point of view, the players done a brilliant job tonight.”

That coming-together may spice up Monday's meeting when the two sides square up to each other at St. James' Park when United will hope to break their run of night terrors. Something certainly needs to inspire a Newcastle side who gave a display prompting a host of questions but a lack of answers.

Jaissle made few friends with his post-match line about "young lads", coming after those in the stadium or able to battle Sky's machinations witnessed a collective failure of experienced professionals.

You'd have to go a long way to find a more insipid and uninspiring trio than messrs Ramsey, Willock and Murphy and as for Wissa, that sound you can hear is Brentford laughing. It comes to something when Elanga is considered our main hope of spark, despite overwhelming previous evidence to the contrary.

It wasn't just the scoreline and the timing of the goals that perfectly matched the pre-season meeting of these teams in Edinburgh - or the fact that a large chunk of Toon fans missed our consolation goals in each game after having left in disgust.

That Murrayfield farce may have been a misadventure but was at least meaningless - our evident imbalance straightening out over the following weeks as players find form and fitness and bed in.

Instead we're in what may reasonably called a buggers muddle; a short-handed midfield exposing a vulnerable defence but the over-stocked forward line unable to profit from the numerical superiority.

As well as providing massive relief to a police force living in fear of a two-legged derby, losing this tie also means missing out on the scramble for Fleetwood's 841 away tickets, plus the inevitable pitch invasion and rendition of the Captain Pugwash theme that would follow were we to be beaten. If this defeat isn't a massive issue, the manner of it certainly is.

As we've said previously this season, we're playing to our weaknesses. The "short blanket" metaphor of Rafa Benitez was mentioned, but one Magpie malcontent succinctly summed-it up when saying "Our nemesis this season is shit teams." Routinely rumbled and humbled by average outfits like Everton, the concern is what happens when we face more competent opponents.

Attention now switches to Monday night, when coach and crowd will rightly demand a response. With no hint of consistency or an end to the muddled nature of our performances in sight as yet, every league game is vitally important in trying to scrape points. We're not good enough to play in cups.

Keegan-inspired emotion lifted us against Liverpool in August, whatever gets us through against Everton has to be grasped. If anger is an energy then so be it. We need to be inspired by something.

Biffa