Newcastle's away win at Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon should have been a turning point, a springboard to build momentum and start a run.

Defensive errors and a lack of confidence in goal were the main faults in Newcastle's Carabao Cup exit, a competition in which they had recently turned their reputation around.

Defensive errors proved costly.

Yet again, Newcastle were too open at the back, were easily punished, and their defenders made individual errors too.

Amar Dedic failed to clear the ball, holding on too long and allowing James Garner to score from inside the box. A rare error from the 24-year-old at right-back, who has earned praise for his impact.

It is late-October, and regardless of the centre-back pairing, Newcastle are far too shaky and unconfident, often panicking. Dan Burn had to come flying out when the Toffees were on the break, leaving a huge hole that Hayden Hackney exploited as Everton went 2-0 up at half-time.

There is no strategy or shape; it's far too easy to play through, they barely win any duels, and they give up possession easily. Everton's third was a result of a poor Newcastle challenge, in which Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall gained the ball off and played Thierno Barry through on goal.

The two in midfield still aren't working, are easily overrun, and put more pressure on their defence. Tonight, they made it easy for Everton with errors and being far too open.

Improved build-up led to nothing

Like their defence, Newcastle's flaws remain in attack too; they started better and improved slightly over Crystal Palace. It was only a slight improvement because Newcastle stumbled in the final third.

Garner made a great challenge on Osula; that's an exception. However, the second time Osula went through, he tripped over his own foot and missed the ball.

It summed up Newcastle's night: they showed more intensity and effort than in their first half at Selhurst Park, but they weren't clinical and couldn't finish any of their chances.

Again, the same problems crept up, but tonight it was individual issues: too many touches, indecision, and a lack of confidence.

They tested Jordan Pickford, but it wasn't enough. There was no drive or initiative, and they often got lucky on loose balls and turnovers.

They finished with 28 shots, nine on target, and, realistically, only three that forced Pickford off his line.

The Magpies will play them again on Monday night; their attack needs to deliver consistently, and far too often it has done so in spells, which won't win them any games.

Questions remain over squad selections

Newcastle this summer spent over £200M on transfers, with their final spend on incomings being £265.3M. But there are still players coming in at the starting eleven who were there before 2021, when the club was fighting in relegation battles.

The club went in a completely different direction in the summer and made young talent the focal point of its strategy. But some of those signings remain on the bench and aren't finding their way into the eleven.

It's raising serious questions: some of those more tenured players haven't quite performed, did the club make more mistakes in the window, and is Matthias Jaissle choosing to go with those senior players because he thinks the young signings aren't ready yet?