Newcastle United 4 Leeds United 3: Whites sickener as nemesis strikes after attacker's brilliant brace — YEP 7/1/26

By Lee Sobot

Unbeaten in seven, Leeds United took on Newcastle United under the St James’ Park lights.

Leeds United suffered late, late heartache as old nemesis Harvey Barnes bagged a 102nd-minute winner for Newcastle United to seal a scarcely believable 4-3 victory in Wednesday night’s Premier League clash at St James’ Park.

Newcastle initially began brightly but Leeds soon got on top and the Whites squandered a great chance to go ahead as Pascal Struijk sent a free header from an Anton Stach free kick over the bar.

Leeds, though, were causing all sorts of problems and the Whites went ahead with 32 minutes on the clock through Brenden Aaronson after messy defending from Malick Thiaw.

The Newcastle centre-back slipped as he looked to clear near the halfway line and Dominic Calvert-Lewin was able to pinch the ball and play it towards Aaronson.

Aaronson, who had already looked a big threat, allowed the ball to roll towards the edge of the area and then produced a brilliant first time finish that flew into the bottom left of the net.

Daniel Farke's Whites quickly pushed for a second but Newcastle gradually got going, led by the club’s old nemesis Barnes who came into the game having already netted six times against the Whites.

With 36 minutes on the clock he then netted another, Leeds failing to deal with a cross from the right as Anthony Gordon and then Nick Woltemade laid the ball off to Barnes to wallop home a finish from the middle of the box.

The Magpies were suddenly rampant and pushing for a second goal but Leeds remained a threat on the break in a pulsating end-to-end half.

The two teams looked set to enter the break level at one apiece but Leeds were then awarded a stoppage time penalty as a falling Thiaw handled the ball as he tried to clear a Stach free kick into the box.

Calvert-Lewin stepped up to take the spot kick and coolly sent keeper Nick Pope the wrong way, slotting the ball down the right to the delight of the away end.

Even then the drama was not done with, Newcastle looking to have been awarded a penalty themselves as Joelinton went flying in the box but referee Michael Salisbury judged that Joelinton had dived and awarded Leeds a free-kick as furious Joelinton was booked.

Magpies boss Eddie Howe made a double change during the break as Thiaw and Sandro Tonali were hooked for Sven Botman and Tino Livramento to come on.

Newcastle again initially began well but only a big save from Magpies keeper Pope prevented the Whites from going 3-1 up, Stach storming through the middle of the park and laying the ball off for Aaronson whose fierce low shot was sent behind for a corner by Pope’s legs.

It looked a big save and two minutes later Pope’s side were level after brilliant work by young Lewis Miley to retrieve a ball that looked destined to sail behind for a goal kick.

Miley sprinted over to keep the ball in at the corner flag and sent a pass back towards Bruno Guimaraes who sent in a lovely cross towards Joelinton whose flicked header flew past Lucas Perri to make the game 2-2.

Both sides then pushed for the game’s fifth goal and Leeds somehow survived an incredible goalmouth scramble from a corner in the 66th minute as Perri made a huge save before Fabian Schar smashed a shot against the post.

But the frame of the goal then denied Leeds from going in front, a brilliant move ending with a Gabriel Gudmundsson cross to the far stick to which James Justin won a towering header which crashed back off the crossbar.

After an accidental collision, Newcastle then lost Schar to what looked like a serious injury as Calvert-Lewin fell on top of him, leading to a pause in play of five and a half minutes.

The frantic pace of the game was briefly halted on the restart yet amazingly Leeds got themselves back in front with a brilliant second goal from Aaronson with 11 minutes left.

More excellent pressing in the middle of the park saw Leeds win possession and this time Ilia Gruev drove forward before slipping in Aaronson who applied another brilliant low finish for the game’s fifth goal.

Newcastle were stunned but were soon back pushing for another equaliser and a combination of Pascal Struijk and Calvert-Lewin cleared off the line from a corner. From another corner, Yoane Wissa wasted another good chance by firing wide.

But with 90 minutes on the clock Newcastle were awarded a penalty as the night’s star man Aaronson blocked a cross with his outstretched hand.

Referee Salisbury pointed to the spot and the decision survived a check from VAR before Guimaraes stepped up to convert in similar fashion to Calvert-Lewin’s.

Even then there was plenty of time for more drama as ten minutes of added time were announced, during which both sides went all out for a winner.

The contest still looked set to end in a 3-3 draw yet Newcastle and Barnes served up one final cruel twist, Leeds failing to clear a 102nd-minute long throw and the ball falling to Barnes who turned in the box before firing a low finish past Perri into the bottom left corner.