Following the high of a thrilling win over West Ham United, Leeds United were brought back down to earth at Elland Road.
The Whites have fared well against their bottom-half counterparts this season but could not overcome Newcastle United, who clinched three points courtesy of a free-kick from Jonjo Shelvey.
Leeds resembled the exuberant side that captured hearts last season when they saw off West Ham United last weekend but the sharp clinical edge displayed in London was blunt back in Yorkshire.
The hosts created opportunities to break the deadlock but were eventually punished for their failure to convert and the only goal of the game knocked the wind out of Leeds' sails.
Leeds have been forced to cope without several key figures this season but it was the absence of forward Patrick Bamford that has been outlined as being evident in the defeat by more than one media outlet.
Here is a round-up of national media verdicts on Leeds' 1-0 home defeat to Newcastle.
BBC:
Despite admitting Bamford's absence was felt, the BBC's Alistair Magowan reserved praised for wingers Raphinha and Jack Harrison and the former was even described as having Newcastle left-back Paul Dummett 'on toast'.
For the BBC Sport website, he wrote: "Although Leeds missed Bamford, they still created chances through Raphinha, who had Paul Dummett on toast, and Harrison, who caused problems for [Kieran] Trippier.
"[Daniel] James also lacked the killer instinct up front even if his hard work and endeavour was appreciated by the partisan home support.
"For the first 20 minutes, it was Leeds who looked most likely to score. But once Shelvey's left-footed volley was saved by [Illan] Meslier, Newcastle brought a balance to the game which they did not relinquish."
The Guardian :
Dummett's struggle to contain Raphinha was also outlined by The Guardian, who also highlighted the impressive performance delivered by the dependable Stuart Dallas.
For The Guardian, Louise Taylor wrote: "Paul Dummett is an underrated, positionally intelligent, left-back but he joined a long line of counterparts who have struggled to contain Raphinha.
"On the opposite flank Stuart Dallas impressed as an attacking left-back and his dangerous advances prevented Kieran Trippier from acting as an attacking catalyst."
However, they also claimed the return of Bamford from injury 'cannot come soon enough' for a side that could not take advantage of their possession.
Taylor wrote: "Marcelo Bielsa’s alternately despairing and infuriated body language highlighted the severity of this blow to his team who, not for the first time, failed to turn dominance into goals before coming undone at a set piece.
"Patrick Bamford’s long-awaited return to the Leeds attack after injury cannot come soon enough."
The Mail on Sunday
Although Newcastle claimed victory, they did not deliver a particularly impressive performance and the Mail Online admitted Leeds were the better side before the interval.
However, a lack of composure in the final third is once again highlighted as a reason Leeds were left empty-handed at Elland Road.
For The Mail on Sunday, Craig Hope wrote: "Bielsa’s side had won their last two games but played here as if with a complacency on the back of those results that had taken them clear of danger.
"Leeds brought just one save from Martin Dubravka, and it says much for how badly they faded that it came in the 11th minute when Dan James was denied from close range.
"They were, in fairness, the better team in the first half, in part because they weren’t as poor as Newcastle, who were ragged in possession and shape.
"Leeds saw plenty of the ball in the final third but, just when the composure of Rodrigo or cunning of Raphinha was needed, it eluded them.
"Jack Harrison scored a hat-trick in the fine Leeds victory at West Ham last weekend but he, too, was strangely subdued, quietening calls for England inclusion in front of the watching manager Gareth Southgate."
