Off the back of a welcome pair of wins, this suddenly felt a bit of an awkward one.
First off it was, of course freezing, as has been the status for the entirety of 2026 thus far.
Secondly, the unstoppable plethora of home games in January may have tested some folks’ resolve, if the amount of Newcastle United season ticket holders trying to sell their ticket on the day of the match was anything to go by and finally, we were facing an opponent who haven’t brought the best out of Newcastle United in recent times.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to have Leeds back in the Premier League.
A proper big club with huge support and not too far away for a convenient little away trip. Those of us that ventured on that trip last summer though, were subjected to the latest in a series of frustrating stalemates, as the past three fixtures had ended in disappointing draws.
The last time Newcastle registered a win was the day of Jonjo Shelvey’s seismic free kick that resurrected the seemingly doomed 21/22 season. As I trundled in through the sub zero temperatures, I’d have happily taken a similarly scruffy win.
Prior to the kick off, there was the horrible announcement that Kevin Keegan is commencing treatment for cancer. It was perfectly done in recognising KK as one of the most important people in the club’s history, which is absolute fact. Keegan the player revitalised 80’s United, but Keegan the manager took a club on its knees and built it into a dream within a couple of years. Everything Newcastle United are today just wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for him and it is absolutely right that he is universally loved among the fanbase. Like the man said, we’re with you Kev.
The most fitting tribute to the great man though, was the game that followed. A crackers, hundred mile an hour display of classic kamikaze football straight out of the Keegan era.
The opening was a bit alarming as the visitors constantly had the ball and it felt like we just couldn’t get near them. A red flag for things to come saw Malick Thiaw into the book after six minutes for an absolute scythe of a challenge, but it felt like the storm had been weathered a bit, as Gordon looked lively on the left and another solid Joelinton performance was seeing the midfield battle won. From a free-kick, Schar had the ball in the net after Perri fumbled it, but he was victim to that ridiculous football trope that any physicality near the keeper brings a free kick.
It was fair to say then that Leeds’ opener was against the run of play, in the first of the night’s calamities. In an attempt to run the ball out of defence, Thiaw inexplicably tumbled and fell on his bot, allowing Calvert-Lewin to nip in, pinch the ball and slot it forward to Aaronson, who had the space to set for a deadly finish into the bottom corner.
You worry at this point about our resolve in these situations, as the club who has infamously chucked 13 points from winning positions and retrieved none from behind. It was encouraging then, to draw level within minutes. Miley’s cross was headed into the box by Bruno and Gordon did brilliantly, chipping the ball over the head of one defender and deftly knocking it past the second to Woltemade, who produced a sweet lay off for Barnes to ram in. Right, time to get a grip…
It was almost a swift turnaround when Gordon whipped in a free kick from way out wide that evaded the melee in the box but was allowed to bounce up onto the post. Very nearly a nice settler but it was heading for all square at the break until the next sting in the tail.
Entering injury time, Leeds lumped a long free kick into the box which Bijol headed on only for Thiaw to lose his footing again and deflect the ball away with his outstretched arm. It was clearly accidental as he fell whilst challenged, but no one really knows the handball rule anyway and the VAR declined to get us out of trouble. Calvert-Lewin sent Pope the wrong way and the ref got pelters that never let up after that. This was made a lot worse when Newcastle went straight down the other end with a penalty shout of our own, only for the defiant official to book Joelinton for diving instead, a decision that was annoyingly probably right.
The changes made at half-time were influential in the half to come, as Thiaw was respectfully withdrawn for Botman and Livramento relieved the still out-of-sorts Tonali. This allowed Miley to step into midfield and from here he was involved in the equaliser. Breaking from a Leeds corner, Bruno overplayed a pass which Miley did well to keep in before returning for Bruno to produce a delectable outside of the foot cross that Joelinton smartly flicked inside the post. Definitely going to get a grip now.
Next, Newcastle had a corner that it was bafflingly unbelievable that it didn’t end in a goal, definitely convincing this reporter that this game was never to be won. Bruno obviously tried to score direct from the corner, he always does now, and created enough panic for Perri to bat it away, leading to Joelinton’s effort being blocked and the keeper to recover to block efforts from Schar and Woltemade on the line. Impossible.
Leeds had their near miss next as Pope made a terrible decision to come off his line for a cross he was nowhere near, presenting Justin with a gaping goal. The Leeds man could only head off the bar and Schar hooked the ball out before Calvert-Lewin could get to the rebound. Now, it’s time to face the horrifying fact that this goal saving contribution could very well be Fabian Schar’s final notable act in a Newcastle shirt.
When Fab went down in a 50/50 challenge with Calvert-Lewin on the East Stand touchline, I thought he’d just landed on the ball. The subsequent howls of pain, hands on head and withdrawal via stretcher suggest an injury that could very well end his season as he nears the end of his contract. This would be a sickener, to see a player who has been such a huge part of the club go out like this, as well as providing a challenge for the season ahead with Burn still incapacitated and Thiaw apparently acting like Norman Wisdom. Get well Fab, let’s see you again some day.
It was also bad news in the context of the game where Schar had easily been the standout defensive performer. The next goal Leeds scored was the daftest.
We were trying to counter attack when Wissa’s lay off was slightly short, inexplicably causing Jacob Ramsey to try and top Thiaw’s Pitkin impression by crumpling to the ground under zero pressure. Gruel seized the ball and pinged it out to Aaronson, with Newcastle on the back foot but still with ample cover. It looked like Aaronson couldn’t get through but his shot went through the legs of Botman and Nick Pope seemed rooted to the spot as the shot crawled in off the post. Sorry, what the hell is everyone up to?
The introduction of Jacob Murphy was a huge factor in this game turning round, as everyone consistently looked for him and he repeatedly delivered dangerous balls into the box. One of said deliveries brought a corner and Hall’s second ball from this was batted away by Aaronson to allow the ref to level up the borderline handball penalties.
With Gordon, Woltemade and Schar off the field it was questionable who would take the kick, and everyone grimaced a bit in memory of that pen Bruno took in the shootout with Palace a few years back as he did the stuttering run up, but this is Captain Cool these days. Bruno slotted it in and there were 10 minutes of injury time to chase the win.
With these ten minutes gone, a corner seemed to present a golden opportunity for a memorable moment. When it was cleared that seemed like that, but from the resultant throw Bruno whipped one last cross in. Botman did extremely well to head it down while being manhandled in a manner that might have needed run past the VAR, but this was not necessary as Barnes latched onto the knock down and fired in the latest winning goal the Premier League has ever seen.
The celebration was one of those epic pulsating roars that only comes with a late winner and the sort of sound I didn’t expect to hear from this cold and muted mid-January crowd. Incredible parallels with Barnes doing something similar to West Ham a couple of years back too.
I got home at yon time (who’s started coming up with all these 8:15 kick offs??), but I’ll take on the remainder of the week happy. There are many causes for alarm in some of tonight’s occurrences but I choose to just enjoy the good old slobberknocker of a game that I’m very glad I braved the cold for.
Took me back to the 90s and the emotional exhaustion of the Entertainers displays. I hope you get here soon Kev, and when you do I hope it’s a match like this. You deserve nothing less.
Newcastle 4 Leeds 3 – Wednesday 7 January 2026 8.15pm
Match Stats
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Barnes 36, 90+12, Joelinton 54, Bruno 90+1
Leeds United:
Aaronson 32, 79, Calvert Lewin 45+5 pen
Possession was Newcastle 63% Leeds 37%
Total shots were Newcastle 18 Leeds 14
Shots on target were Newcastle 8 Leeds 6
Corners were Newcastle 8 Leeds 4
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 37 Leeds 26
Newcastle team v Leeds:
Pope, Miley, Thiaw (Botman 46), Schar (Ramsey 76), Hall, Tonali (Livramento 46), Joelinton, Bruno, Barnes, Gordon (Jacob Murphy 81), Woltemade (Wissa 75)
Unused subs:
Ramsdale, Trippier, Willock, Alex Murphy
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