Five things we learned from Newcastle’s 4-3 win over Leeds
Newcastle United edged out Leeds United in an unforgettable seven-goal thriller at St James’ Park, with late drama, standout performances and serious injury concerns all shaping the narrative.
In this article, Sports News Blitz’s Charlotte Allsop breaks down the key talking points from the Magpies’ chaotic 4-3 Premier League victory.
Harvey Barnes loves playing Leeds
Harvey Barnes has now scored eight league goals against Leeds United, the most against any opponent in his career.
His latest two goals were vital in Newcastle’s dramatic victory against Daniel Farke’s side last night.
The winger got the Magpies back in the game with his equaliser in the 36th minute, before sending St James’ Park into chaos with his 102nd-minute winner - the latest match-winning goal in Premier League history.
On his goal-scoring record against Leeds, Barnes stated: “I’ve always had a great record against them and I don’t know what it is, I always seem to score and hopefully it doesn’t stop.”
His late heroics secured Newcastle their third consecutive Premier League win, with Eddie Howe’s side climbing from 14th to sixth in the table in the space of just three games.
Describing the match as “a rollercoaster of a game,” Barnes reflected on a game that had it all - seven goals, a stoppage-time winner, and two penalties.
This game will definitely be in the memory of football fans for a long time.
Newcastle’s No.11 praised the team’s desire throughout the game, saying: “This team’s full of spirit and character, and you could feel that we were going to fight our way back. We’re delighted with the result in the end. A special night.”
READ MORE: Third round FA Cup betting tips: Aston Villa to win, Matheus Cunha to score and more
Momentum starting to build
It’s safe to say that Newcastle’s season so far has been very inconsistent in terms of performances and results, but momentum is gradually building for the Magpies.
Victory against Leeds gave Eddie Howe’s men their first three-game winning streak in the Premier League this season.
Newcastle have often conceded first and gone on to lose this season, so it wouldn’t have been surprising if some fans already accepted defeat after Brenden Aaronson’s opener.
However, Newcastle showed remarkable fight and resilience after falling behind three times, and their perseverance was rewarded with Harvey Barnes’ late winner.
Reflecting on his side’s performance, Eddie Howe said: “It wasn’t a perfect performance, there’s stuff to improve but the mentality is the key thing. If you are losing, you need that ‘never say die’ attitude.”
The Newcastle manager also suggested that going behind may have worked in their favour: “Maybe conceding helped us in this game because it gave us something to chase and played with a bit more freedom.”
With a demanding schedule coming up, it’s the perfect time for the Magpies to start gaining some momentum.
Fabian Schär’s devastating injury
On what was a night to remember for Newcastle, there was one thing that no one would have wanted to see: Fabian Schar being stretchered off the pitch.
After suffering what appeared to be a serious ankle injury after colliding with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Newcastle fans fear that they have seen the Swiss defender play for the last time in black and white.
In 2025, the 33-year-old extended his contract until the summer of 2026, and if the injury is as severe as it looked to be, that could’ve been Schar’s last game for the Magpies.
The Switzerland international came to the North East in 2018 for £3 million, and has been a consistently reliable player for the club, so it would be devastating for his Newcastle career to end in injury.
Eddie Howe gave a worrying update on Schar’s condition, saying: “He’s in hospital at the moment and it doesn’t look good for him. It’s an ankle problem. We hope its not as serious as it looks.
“He’s such an important player for us. He’s been incredible. He’s been almost an ever-present and put his body on the line for the team.
“It looks like he’s picked up a bad injury, unfortunately.”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Man Utd on the brink, again: Darren Fletcher, false dawns and a familiar collapse at Turf Moor
Miley masterclass
Lewis Miley has gone from strength to strength recently, putting in man-of-the-match performances game after game.
He’s stepped in to cover at right-back during a defensive injury crisis and performed remarkably, and last night he even filled in at centre-back.
After substituting Malick Thiaw at half-time and losing Fabian Schar to injury, Eddie Howe turned to the 19-year-old. The young talent slotted in alongside Sven Botman and once again impressed with his performance.
Eddie Howe was full of praise for Miley after the match: “Incredible from Lewis again. It wasn’t my plan to play him in three positions, but that’s just how the game unfolded.
“Once we brought Sven onto the pitch, we were out of established centre-halves and Lewis has done that role for me, centre-half, more than he has full-back actually in training.
“We’ve trained him there a few times because we believe he’s got the ability to play that position.”
With performances like this, Miley is proving himself to be one of Newcastle’s key players and someone capable of stepping up when his team needs him.
Climbing up the table
Just nine days ago, Newcastle were down in 14th place in the Premier League table, and the mood around the club was low.
Three consecutive wins have propelled the Magpies all the way up to sixth and two points behind Liverpool in fourth.
A trip to Molineux is up next for Eddie Howe’s side as they face a rock-bottom Wolves, which is a big opportunity for Newcastle to carry on their winning streak.
Confidence should be back within the squad and amongst the fans after the high of their dramatic win over Leeds.
Not to mention, victory at Wolves would keep their top-four and European qualification hopes alive.
READ NEXT: New World Pool fixtures from Australia, South Africa, UK and Ireland for 2026
