Kevin Keegan belatedly had something to cheer after watching his side end his worst ever season in management with a big win.
Manchester City recorded back to back home victories in the Premiership for the first time this season as they defeated Everton to finish the campaign on a high note.
Keegan's side produced an excellent display to leapfrog Everton, whose performance was particularly poor, to finish fourth from bottom.
And it was the recently paired strike partnership of Paulo Wanchope and Nicolas Anelka who inflicted much of the damage as they scored City's first three goals.
Keegan said: "We have not been good enough as a club, and have to accept it, though we finished with a flourish.
"I will be more determined next season as I don't want another like that." Keegan also revealed he won't be staying at City beyond the end of his contract which expires in 2006, even if they were to win the Premiership title.
He added that the challenge remained to lift City into the top six and to hand over the club in a better shape to the one which he inherited.
City had an element of fortune about their 16th minute opener as Anelka's initial shot was blocked but luckily ran invitingly for Wanchope to convert.
City doubled their lead on the half-hour when Wanchope slotted home his second goal of the afternoon and the fourth in his last three appearances following an excellent attacking move.
Wanchope then turned provider setting up Anelka who cut inside and fired home a low drive, his 24th goal of the season.
Everton brought on striker Kevin Campbell at the start of the second half and he reduced the deficit on the hour with a bullet header from Wayne Rooney's corner.
City remained in control and but for the brilliance of Everton goalkeeper Nigel martin - notably to deny Wanchope his hat-trick - City would have added to their tally.
Martyn was beaten again in the final minutes when substitute Antoine Sibierski found the net with a well-placed shot following a cut back from substitute Jon Macken.
And player of the year Shaun Wright-Phillips provided the icing on the cake with City's fifth goal in the dying seconds, a stunning solo effort after running almost half the length of the field.
The defeat underlined the rebuilding job Everton manager David Moyes must undertake.