Newcastle United were held to a 2-2 draw against Leeds United in an eventful clash at Elland Road as the race for the Champions League goes on.
Luke Ayling gave Leeds an early lead and the hosts could have been 2-0 up before the half-hour mark - only for Nick Pope to save Patrick Bamford's penalty. Callum Wilson equalised from the spot in the 31st minute before converting yet another penalty midway through the second half. Rasmus Kristensen drew Leeds level in the 79th minute after his effort took a wicked deflection and, although Junior Firpo was sent off late on, the Magpies could not find a winner.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
READ MORE: Leeds United vs Newcastle United highlights
Newcastle undone despite fightback
Newcastle took some positives from last week's defeat against title-chasing Arsenal, but the Magpies' response to that defeat was always going to be telling. With just four games to go, Eddie Howe's side knew they could not afford to suffer another loss in quick succession at Elland Road.
Yet this spirited group have bounced back time and time again. After losing the Carabao Cup final in February, for instance, Newcastle won five of their next six games. Following a 3-0 defeat at Aston Villa last month, the black-and-whites hammered Spurs 6-1 before going on to beat Everton and Southampton.
Similarly, even after going behind to an early goal against buoyant Leeds, and narrowly avoiding conceding a second, Newcastle rallied in the Elland Road cauldron following Nick Pope's penalty save and a change of system. Having started Alexander Isak out on the left in his favoured 4-3-3 formation, Howe switched to a 4-2-3-1 and moved Isak into the middle behind Wilson and the switch quickly paid off. Indeed, it was Isak, in a central position, who was brought down by Max Wober inside the box in the 31st minute to earn Newcastle a penalty, which Wilson duly put away.
Wilson converted a second spot-kick in the 69th minute before darting off to celebrate in front of the away end with his team-mates. It brought back memories of Jonjo Shelvey's celebrations after scoring a crucial winner at this very stadium last season.
However, this time, Newcastle could not get over the line after conceding an equaliser out of nowhere in the 79th minute. Newcastle were not alive to a short corner played to Wilfried Gnoto and failed to stop the Leeds substitute's cross into the box. Although Patrick Bamford header across goal was blocked by Sven Botman, before Kieran Trippier got in the way of Gnoto's follow-up, the ball fell to the unmarked Rasmus Kristensen just inside the box. The Leeds defender's effort took a wicked deflection off Trippier past Nick Pope.
Callum Wilson leads by example
The television cameras missed it, but Callum Wilson was the coolest man in the stadium when Luke Ayling fired Leeds in front as the number nine urged his team-mates to stay calm. Wilson also showed his composure when the Magpies were awarded penalties in both the first and second halves.
Let's start with the first spot-kick. The boos were deafening as Wilson stepped up and, although Joel Robles guessed the right way, the striker left the goalkeeper with no chance after he picked out the bottom left-hand corner.
The second was even more pressurised in Wilson's final act before being replaced by substitute Allan Saint-Maximin. Wilson did not just have to contend with boos once more, but an eternal wait as Robles tried to put him off. However, Wilson coolly went down the middle.
It was Wilson's 10th goal since the start of April. For perspective, Man City monster Erling Haaland has 'only' scored seven in the same period.
Newcastle staff come to Howe's aid
As Kieran Trippier waited to get a free-kick in stoppage time, an irate Leeds United supporter somehow got on the touchline to confront Eddie Howe, grab the Newcastle head coach's arm and shove him after personally insulting him. By the time the stewards finally reacted, both first-team coach Simon Weatherstone and head of performance Dan Hodges had risen to their feet to push the fan away before he was finally led off by security. The only saving grace was that it was nothing more serious.
Nick Pope changes momentum of game
To say the atmosphere was hot at Elland Road - long before the stadium announcer cried; "Do what you do best - let's raise the roof for Leeds United!" ahead of kick-off. This felt every inch like a derby as the Premier League's two most northerly teams went head to head with so much on the line. Not only did Newcastle need a win to take another step towards the Champions League, Leeds desperately required all three points to reignite their survival bid.
Leaky Leeds may have won just three league games in 2023, and conceded more goals than any other side in the top-flight, but this was going to be a real test of Newcastle's mettle. Handling that first quarter of the game was going to be crucial yet it was Leeds who struck first in the seventh minute and it was a soft goal from the visitors' perspective.
Patrick Bamford's cross was not blocked by Kieran Trippier and Rodrigo easily got in between Dan Burn and Sven Botman to get his head on the end of the Brazilian's delivery. Although Nick Pope managed to keep the header out, the Newcastle goalkeeper could only parry the ball into the path of Leeds captain Luke Ayling, who tapped home from close range. The roof came off Elland Road.
Newcastle looked stunned and it looked like it was about to get even worse for the Magpies when Leeds were awarded a penalty in the 27th minute after Joelinton took down Junior Firpo. However, Nick Pope guessed right to keep out Patrick Bamford's penalty to finally awaken Newcastle from their slumber and swing the momentum of the game. Just a few minutes later, Callum Wilson equalised at the other end from the spot.
Newcastle bench furious with rough Leeds
Sam Allardyce defended Newcastle, his former side, when asked about criticism of the Magpies' game management tactics ahead of this match, going as far to say it was 'rubbish'. "Who doesn't do it?" Leeds' interim boss asked.
Allardyce is certainly no stranger to the dark arts, himself, and Newcastle knew what was coming as the 68-year-old took charge of his first home game at Elland Road. While Allardyce had only been in place for 10 days, this is a team that was not going to make it easy for Newcastle - and the Magpies knew it. In fact, Newcastle's coaching team delved into the archives ahead of this game for a refresher course on Allardyceball.
However, rather than sitting back and soaking up pressure, as Leeds did at Man City last time out, the hosts raced out of the blocks and Allardyce's side set the tone from kick-off, with Rodrigo clattering Dan Burn clattered after just 30 seconds. Leeds did not let up and, remarkably, the hosts avoided a caution until the 59th minute when Junior Firpo was lucky to stay on the field following a late sliding challenge on Bruno Guimaraes that had the furious Newcastle bench on their feet. Even Leeds supporters gasped.
Firpo was even more fortunate just a few minutes later when he, somehow, stayed on the field despite handling the ball before the Leeds defender finally walked in the 91st minute for a nudge on substitute Anthony Gordon.
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