Leeds United 2-2 Newcastle United: Hosts keep survival hopes alive with Newcastle draw as Junior Firpo sees red
Firpo #Firpo
Rasmus Kristensen scored a crucial equaliser for Leeds United against Newcastle
Leeds United’s Premier League survival hopes received a late lift as they came from behind to earn a battling point against Newcastle United at Elland Road – in a match with three penalties and a red card.
Interim manager Sam Allardyce will be delighted by the spirit shown by Leeds as it looked like they would suffer a damaging defeat despite taking the lead through Luke Ayling’s early goal.
In a thunderous atmosphere, the game appeared to have turned when Patrick Bamford’s penalty on the half-hour was saved by Newcastle keeper Nick Pope, the disappointment deepening when Callum Wilson restored equality for the visitors from the spot moments later.
Wilson put Newcastle, who are looking to confirm a place in the top four, ahead with another penalty after 69 minutes when the video assistant referee ruled Junior Firpo had handled.
Leeds looked beaten but staged a rally and equalised when Rasmus Kristensen’s shot deflected in off Kieran Trippier’s head 11 minutes from time.
They had to hold on for the final minutes as Firpo was second off for a second bookable offence as he brought down Anthony Gordon.
There was an incident on the touchline towards the end too, as Newcastle boss Eddie Howe was shoved by a spectator who got into the manager’s technical area from the home end before being dragged away by security staff.
Allardyce’s team remain in the bottom three a point behind Everton but he may yet come to see this as a valuable result.
Will Leeds regret spot-kick woe?
There were only three minutes and 23 seconds between Patrick Bamford failing to convert his penalty for Leeds and Callum Wilson successfully converting his first for Newcastle
Leeds United’s supporters showed appreciation for their side’s efforts as they took loud acclaim at the final whistle following a game that was desperately low on quality but high on tension.
Sam Allardyce has stated his aim to get to the final game of the season at home to Tottenham with a chance of survival and the point earned by Kristensen’s leveller keeps them on track for that.
Leeds, however, will surely look back at Bamford’s poor first-half penalty as a pivotal moment when they might have put themselves on the way to three points rather eventually happily settling for one.
They were one up and exerting a measure of domination on a Newcastle side who were struggling to settle inside a fevered Elland Road when Joelinton’s clumsy tackle on Firpo was rightly penalised.
Bamford, guilty of an awful injury-time miss in the recent home draw against Leicester City, never looked confident and keeper Nick Pope was able to make a comfortable save.
There was a collective groan around Elland Road when Maximilian Wober’s equally poor challenge on Alexander Isak gave Callum Wilson the chance to equalise, the striker then leaving Leeds looking at a potentially decisive loss when he added a second from the spot.
With Newcastle seemingly cruising, Leeds showed the character and resilience they will need to survive to equalise – and the reaction at the final whistle suggests that they felt this was one point gained rather than two lost.
Only time will tell, however, just how important than Bamford miss was.
Disappointing Newcastle miss chance
Callum Wilson has scored 10 goals in the Premier League since the start of April, the most of any player in Europe’s top 10 leagues
Newcastle United must have thought they were on course to take full advantage of the reprieve offered up by Bamford’s penalty failure when Wilson put them ahead in the second half despite an indifferent team performance.
Howe’s side were nowhere near their best and paid for a below-par effort when Kristensen’s shot took a big deflection off Trippier to leave keeper Nick Pope flat-footed and give Leeds a point.
It is a result that edged Newcastle close to their target of a top-four finish and Champions League qualification – but this was a flat display.
Leeds looked there for the taking when Newcastle went ahead, and that was reflected in the atmosphere – the sound and fury of the home support in the early stages flattened out, almost in an acceptance of their fate.
Newcastle, though, lacked sparked and failed to finish Leeds off, leaving the door open as victory slipped away.
They now have two home games, against Brighton and troubled Leicester City, to try and clinch a place in next season’s Champions League.
Player of the match
ForshawAdam Forshaw
Leeds United
Squad number4Player nameForshaw
Squad number2Player nameAyling
Squad number25Player nameKristensen
Squad number19Player nameRodrigo
Squad number29Player nameGnonto
Squad number5Player nameKoch
Squad number11Player nameHarrison
Squad number22Player nameRobles
Squad number28Player nameMcKennie
Squad number39Player nameWöber
Squad number21Player nameStruijk
Squad number42Player nameGreenwood
Squad number7Player nameAaronson
Squad number3Player nameFirpo
Squad number9Player nameBamford
Newcastle United
Squad number22Player namePope
Squad number9Player nameWilson
Squad number14Player nameIsak
Squad number2Player nameTrippier
Squad number24Player nameAlmirón
Squad number28Player nameWillock
Squad number5Player nameSchär
Squad number39Player nameBruno Guimarães
Squad number4Player nameBotman
Squad number7Player nameJoelinton
Squad number33Player nameBurn
Squad number10Player nameSaint-Maximin
Squad number32Player nameAnderson
Squad number8Player nameGordon
Line-upsLeeds
Formation 4-3-3
22Robles
2Ayling25Kristensen39Wöber3Firpo
28McKennie5Koch42Greenwood
19Rodrigo9Bamford11Harrison
Substitutes
Newcastle
Formation 4-3-3
22Pope
2Trippier5Schär4Botman33Burn
7Joelinton39Bruno Guimarães28Willock
24Almirón9Wilson14Isak
Substitutes
Referee:Simon Hooper
Attendance:36,955
Live Text
Match ends, Leeds United 2, Newcastle United 2.
Second Half ends, Leeds United 2, Newcastle United 2.
Attempt saved. Fabian Schär (Newcastle United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Elliot Anderson with a headed pass.
Foul by Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United).
Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Elliot Anderson (Newcastle United).
Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Maximilian Wöber.
Attempt blocked. Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution, Leeds United. Pascal Struijk replaces Patrick Bamford.
Patrick Bamford (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card.
Junior Firpo (Leeds United) is shown the red card.
Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Junior Firpo (Leeds United).
Foul by Alexander Isak (Newcastle United).
Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Elliot Anderson (Newcastle United).
Luke Ayling (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Leeds United. Brenden Aaronson replaces Rodrigo.
Substitution, Newcastle United. Elliot Anderson replaces Joe Willock.
