Tactical anarchy reigned supreme on a night of chaotic, bewilderingly thrilling, drama played out amid freezing conditions. Not that the on-pitch temperature ever seemed to drop below boiling point as a renascent 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 kick-off as the crowd sent their former player and manager an evocative “get well” message after 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 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.
Farke had reason to look concerned when his sometimes erratic goalkeeper Lucas Perri caught but could not hold an anodyne header from Malick Thiaw. In an instant, Thiaw’s central defensive partner, Fabian Schär had lashed the loose ball home but that effort was disallowed after the Swiss was adjudged to have fouled Perri.
