Harvey Barnes scored in the 12th minute of stoppage time to seal Newcastle’s stunning 4-3 victory over Leeds and become the latest Premier League winner on record.
After Bruno Guimarães converted from the penalty spot in the 91st minute to make it 3-3, Barnes pounced on the loose ball and fired his second goal of the night past Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perry in the final seconds of an epic encounter at St James’ Park.
Newcastle were forced to come back three times throughout the game after Brenden Aaronson’s first of two goals in the 32nd minute sparked a contest.
Barnes quickly leveled the score after Nick Woltemade’s lay-off, but Leeds made it 2-1 at the break with Dominic Calvert-Lewin converting his eighth goal in nine games from the penalty spot after Malik Thiaw, who was also responsible for the opening goal, was deemed to have responded.
Newcastle equalized again just after half-time with a fine header from Guimarães’ cross from Joelinton, but Leeds continued to threaten and Aaronson added another point following a goal from outside the box.
Unfortunately for Leeds, Aaronson was penalized for handling Lewis Hall’s cross, giving Guimarães a penalty and giving Newcastle the chance to equalize again.
The match continued to have its ups and downs, with Fabian Schaal having to be hospitalized with an ankle injury after hitting a post, leading to a lengthy stoppage of play and 10 minutes of stoppage time, but Barnes took the final say as the clock ticked past 102 minutes.
Bruno Guimarães scores Newcastle’s third goal from the penalty spot
His goal, fired on the turn in a packed penalty box, sparked chaotic scenes as Newcastle celebrated moving into sixth place with a third straight win, while also heartbreakingly ending Leeds’ seven-match unbeaten run.
The entertaining contest was a fitting tribute to club legend Kevin Keegan, whose name was repeatedly sung by the home fans after news of his cancer diagnosis broke before kick-off.
Watch: All goals!
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Brenden Aaronson scored a great opening goal.
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Newcastle score the equalizer
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Dominic Calvert-Lewin takes Leeds back from the spot to top of the table
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A great header from Joelinton made it 2-2.
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Brenden Aaronson scored his second goal and Leeds’ third.
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Bruno Guimarães scored a penalty to make it 3-3.
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Harvey Barnes scored Newcastle’s winning goal in the 102nd minute.
Analysis: Opportunity to taste
This match might have gone down as a classic even if it hadn’t been for Barnes’ goal, which tilted the game for the hosts. Guimarães’ penalty had already given Newcastle three come-from-behind victories in the league since 1996. It felt dramatic enough.
But by swinging his right boot while surrounded by blue-shirted defenders, Barnes secured his place in history. He described it as a “blur” after the match, but it was a similar experience for those watching, as it was a breathless battle from start to finish.
Ilya Guluev is challenged by Harvey Barnes
It was a heartbreaking result for Leeds, who had taken a deserved lead in the first half thanks to Aaronson’s superb strike and then continued to claw their way back in front. Their brave performance on a ground where many teams struggle deserves praise.
For the neutrals, the game’s end-to-end action was a tonic for some of the stop-start, set-piece-heavy matches that have been played in this season’s Premier League.
The number of goals would have been higher. The woodwork was struck three times. There were a lot of scrambles for the goalmouth, saves by the goalkeeper, and defensive interventions at the end. It was an opportunity to savor, although not for Leeds fans today.
Howe: We never showed fortitude
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe told Sky Sports: “It’s hard to sum it up in one word.
“It was one of the typical games here, I don’t think we were the best, but we showed great character, kept fighting and always believed we had the goal in us.
“We changed direction at the end, which is unusual for us. We haven’t done enough, especially this season. There were times when we went the other way and lost points late in the game, so it’s great to go the other way today.”
“It wasn’t a perfect performance and there are things we need to reflect on and improve on, but as with anything, mentality is important and when you’re losing you need a ‘never say die’ mentality, especially for our attacking players.”
“It’s great to see the substitutes come on and make a difference. It’s very pleasing for the strength of the team and winning late on gives everyone a boost.”
Burns: Final goal is ambiguous
Newcastle game winner Harvey Barnes told Sky Sports: “It was strange, it was so up and down.
“I don’t think I was at my best by any means, but what’s important is how the game ended and how I feel now. I don’t care about the performance. Rather, the result is what matters.”
As for the winning goal, he said, “I don’t remember much. I spun around, hit it, and celebrated with hope.
“It’s a bit of a blur, when you’re in the box your instinct is to try to make as much contact as you can and there’s a lot of bodies so anything can happen.
“We all know what the atmosphere is like here, but for a last-minute winner to come into the game like that is special.”
Falke proud of ‘brave’ Leeds
“First of all, I think this was the best advertisement for the Premier League,” Leeds manager Daniel Farke told Sky Sports.
“It was our best performance after a very tight schedule. We made some mistakes, but it was a great game. Otherwise we wouldn’t have scored so many goals.”
“The players put in an exciting performance, one of our best away performances here at Newcastle. It’s a very tough place and it’s difficult to put in a brave performance to take the lead three times.”
“I’m so proud of my players and it’s heartbreaking to concede a penalty like that in the 91st minute. This was never a penalty for me…and a heartbreaking incident late in the game with 12 minutes of stoppage time.”
Regarding the penalty decision, he said: “It’s a given, we have to accept it.
“It seemed like there was a lot of pressure on the referee, more or less, with the whole home crowd getting excited and calling for a penalty. I wasn’t happy that he gave it (a penalty) without question and without thinking.”
Record-breaking classics – Opta statistics
Harvey Barnes’ winning goal for Newcastle, clocked at 101 minutes and 48 seconds, was Opta’s latest win in a Premier League match since the 2006-07 season. Leeds themselves become the first team to win and lose three Premier League games since November 2022, when they lost 4-3 to Spurs. Newcastle came from behind to win three times and achieved their first win in the Premier League. Until then, they had only avoided defeat once, in a 3-3 draw with Man City in February 1996.
