IT JUST had to be 4-3.
Hours after the shock news of Kevin Keegan’s cancer scare, Harvey Barnes scored the latest winning goal in Premier League history to seal this thriller after a comeback the King himself would be proud of.
Captain fantastic Bruno Guimaraes looked to have come to the rescue for the third game running with a stoppage-time penalty to earn a point.
But winger Barnes stole the headlines with a winner in the 12th-minute of injury time as Toon ended Leeds’ seven-match unbeaten run.
Though they had to survive a first half horror show from Malick Thiaw to produce to claim a third-straight victory in thrilling fashion.
Malick Thiaw’s first half nightmare left them with a mountain to climb. His clumsy slip led to Brenden Aaronson’s opener. Then, after Barnes had got Toon level, his silly handball gifted red-hot Dominic Calvert-Lewin the chance to fire the visitors back ahead.
He was put out of his misery at the break and the withdrawal of him and ineffective Sandro Tonali finally got Toon going as Joelinton’s header got the fightback started.
They suffered another blow when Aaronson grabbed a second before Guimaraes late spot-kick.
But it was Barnes once more who was the scourge of Leeds after his eighth career goal against them nicked it.
On an emotionally charged night at St. James’ Park, it was the visitors who made an electric start. Pascal Strijk and Anton Stach both coming close. Then when Stach half-volleyed over Farke could only turn away in frustration.
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But his team were about to receive a gift from calamity Thiaw. The 6ft 4in centre-half inexplicably slipped when going to clear 25 yards out, allowing Calvert-Lewin to steal in as he crumpled to the ground. The striker slipped it to Aaronson and the American whacked it from the edge of the area past the outstretched Pope.
Joy at last for Farke. Though it did not last long. Leeds failed to clear Lewis Miley’s cross, Guimaraes headed it back in, Anthony Gordon looped it over Ampadu, Nick Woltemade laid it off and Barnes drilled it into the bottom corner left-footed.
Lewis Hall’s long free-kick bounced through a sea of bodies in the box and smashed off the far post as the momentum seemed to be switching.
But just as the Black and Whites were finding their swagger, Thiaw produced another shocker when falling to the ground under little pressure from Calvert-Lewin and sticking out an arm to clear a Jaka Bijol header.
That allowed the Leeds No.9 to strengthen his calls for an England return with his eight goal from his last starts.
Howe, whose team had not won a single point from a losing position this term, had seen enough by half time and rang the changes.
Joelinton, booked for a dive on the stroke of the break, beat Joe Rodon to head home Guimaraes outside-of-the-foot cross.
Fabian Schar hit post and James Justin rattled the bar up the other end before Ilia Gruev took advantage of sub Yoane Wissa’s sloppy pass and sent the winger clear down the right to shoot through Schar’s legs and in off the post.
But he was the villain late on, handling Hall’s cross to give Newcastle the penalty from their skipper to slot home.
Though the excitement was not over, and with the last kick of the game, Barnes grabbed the headlines.
Bruno Guimaraes scored a penalty in the 91st minute to get the ball rolling and then a rocking St James’ Park willed their side to a late winner as Harvey Barnes swivelled with the ball bouncing in the box and squeezed one past Lucas Perri in the Leeds goal.
The visitors got off to a good start when Brendan Aaronson capitalised on the Malick Thiaw’s first mistake to drill a low right-footed effort across Nick Pope into the bottom corner.
It’s the second major Thiaw mistake in as many home games for the Magpies that has led to a goal conceded. And there was more to come.
The German slipped as he attempted to bring the ball out and seconds later Aaronson had fired home.
Harvery Barnes responded for Newcastle after Anthony Gordon found Nick Woltermade in the box.
The German set the ball to Barnes who opened up his body to slot home with his left peg.
An excellent free-kick delivery from Gordon saw a cross flash past everyone and hit the post as the Magpies came to life.
The home side was dominating as half-time approached, but in injury time Thiaw gave away a penalty for handball after jostling with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and falling into the ball.
Gordon was booked for scuffing the penalty spot, but that didn’t stop Calvert-Lewin sending Pope the wrong way to lead 2-1 at half-time.
Newcastle had a goal disallowed after Schar challenged Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri causing the Brazilian to drop the ball towards his own goal, letting the centre-back tap in.
The contact looked minimal at best, but the refereee’s decision stood.
Newcastle felt they should of had a penalty of their own straight after Leeds had theirs as Joelinton burst into the box and went down under pressure.
The Brazilian was booked for diving and replays showed he probably was looking for the call.
After 54 minutes, it was Joelinton who equalised for the Toon, though. An outside of the boot cross from compatriot Bruno Guimaraes found the head of his midfield partner for a powerful finish.
Fabian Schar hit the post in the 64th minute as Newcastle had four efforts from one corner with Leeds scrambling to get the ball away under heavy pressure.
Leeds hit the woodwork just two minutes later. Gabriel Gudmundsson took on Tino Livramento in the outside and his cross found James Justin storming in at the backpost with Pope in no man’s land. But his header cannoned off the bar and away.
Schar suffered a serious injury with 20 minutes to go after Calvert-Lewin landed on top of him and play stopped for a good five minutes. When the action resumed, substitues Yoann Wissa and Jacob Murphy miscommunication resulted in Aaronson being released again and another driven, low finish.
But an Aaronson handball got Newcastle back in the game at the death before Barnes stole the headlines with his last-gasp finish.
