Ipswich, with seven Premiership wins in eight, are slowly exploding the myth that if you are bottom at new year relegation follows.

Sixto Peralta and the excellent Matt Holland scored the first half goals - separated by a David Unsworth penalty - and Ipswich fully deserved their win.

The Merseysiders saw their five-match unbeaten run wrecked, and they have now been sucked back into the relegation mire.

Ipswich passed better, looked more organised and committed, while Everton huffed and puffed but had not an ounce of variety in their play.

After Everton had created two chances in the opening minutes, Ipswich bossed much of the first half. Crosses from teenager Peter Clarke, making only his second start for the club, and Paul Gascoigne set up chances for Gary Naysmith and Alan Stubbs, but both were saved by Andy Marshall.

But then Ipswich started to construct thoughful, mobile attacks that had Everton stretched and kept keeper Steve Simonsen more than busy.

And on 11 minutes, Ipswich went ahead. Jamie Clapham's curling left wing cross was this time kept well away from Simonsen, and young Argentinian Sixto Peralta struck a first-time volley high into the corner of the net.

Premiership sides are also taking Gascoigne seriously again. There were times a few months back when his cameo appearances did not need special attention. But after a string of increasingly influential roles, Ipswich worked him hard.

Holland or Jermaine Wright were never more than a couple of feet away as the 34-year-old fought for time and space in which to operate.

At this stage Ipswich were passing Everton off the park and another Clapham cross was nodded out to Wright, who sent a dipping 25-yarder inches over.

But three minutes later Everton were given a lifeline. Scot Gemmill's ball in from the right was knocked down in the box by Duncan Ferguson. Kevin Campbell touched it on, away from goal, and went down under a challenge from keeper Marshall.

Referee Steve Dunn pointed to the spot and Unsworth lashed home the penalty off the diving keeper's arms.

That goal certainly jolted Everton into action. Naysmith had been moved into the centre of midfield alongside Gemmill, Gascoigne was pushed further forward and the impressive young Clarke started playing as a wing back.

Those changes started to restrict Ipswich's flow, particularly down the left, and it became a more even contest.

But the better passing still came from Ipswich, and when Marcus Bent was caught by a foul from David Weir, Ipswich regained the lead on 44 minutes.

Clapham touched the free-kick to Holland and the Ipswich skipper cracked home a 20-yard shot.

Before the re-start, Jim Magilton took over from Wright as Everton made another re-shuffle aimed at giving them more strength in midfield. That, they hoped, would be achieved by new signing Linderoth coming on for Clarke.

They were given encouragement when Marshall was forced into an instinctive block to avoid an equaliser.

A fine move involving Unsworth, Gemmill and Blomqvist ended with a cross from the Swede that Duncan Ferguson hit powerfully on the volley, Marshall punching the ball away.

Linderoth, not surprisingly, struggled with the pace of the game having not played since November, but he did test Marshall with one drilled effort from 20 yards.

Gascoigne, too, had an 18-yard snapshot. But Everton's play as usual, revolved around long stuff aimed at Ferguson and Campbell, but Ipswich coped well.

By the end Everton had run out of ideas and Ipswich skipped back to Suffolk with their deserved spoils.

Teams:

Everton: Simonsen, Clarke (Linderoth 45), Weir, Stubbs, Unsworth (Moore 83), Blomqvist, Gascoigne, Gemmill, Naysmith, Ferguson, Campbell.

Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Tal, Cleland.

Booked: Stubbs.

Goals: Unsworth 28 pen.

Ipswich: Marshall, Makin, McGreal, Venus, Hreidarsson, Clapham, Peralta, Holland, Wright (Magilton 45), Armstrong (Stewart 56), Marcus Bent.

Subs Not Used: Counago, Reuser, Sereni.

Goals: Peralta 11, Holland 44.

Att: 33,069

Ref: S Dunn (Bristol).