Barnes snatches wild late win for Newcastle

Tactical anarchy reigned supreme ona night of chaotic, bewilderingly thrilling, drama played out amid freezing conditions.

- Louise Taylor St James’ Park

Not that the on-pitch temperature ever seemed to drop below boiling point as arenascent Leeds led three times yet departed with their seven match unbeaten run at end and hearts broken by Harvey Barnes’s volleyed stoppage time winner for Newcastle.

Long before the end though three things were clear: Daniel Farke’s visitors are surely far too good to go down, Howe’s expensively assembled team have developed some alarming structural flaws and this was one of the finest matches staged at St James’ Park in recent years.

Kevin Keegan’s name was chanted long and loud before kickoff as the crowd sent their former player and manager an evocative “get well” message following his cancer diagnosis.

It created an emotionally charged atmosphere but Newcastle began as if strangely low on adrenaline as Leeds dominated the early stages. Indeed Daniel Farke’s team would have taken the lead had an unmarked Pascal Struijk not directed a free header over the crossbar after meeting Anton Stach’s free-kick.