Newcastle were playing the second of four consecutive home games across all competitions, with St James’ Park proving to be a formidable fortress in recent weeks.
However, Daniel Farke’s side almost breached it early on, as Pascal Struijk’s header went narrowly over the bar after the defender met Anton Stach’s outswinging set-piece.
Newcastle then thought they had been gifted an opener when Fabian Schar beat Lucas Perri in the air and fired home into an empty net, but the Swiss was penalised after his flailing arm connected with the Brazilian shot-stopper.
Eddie Howe’s side would have hoped to kick on from there, but they failed to show any signs of improvement, and Leeds ultimately took a deserved lead.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin continued his fine form by intercepting a Malick Thiaw pass and slipping in Brenden Aaronson to drill home a brilliant right-footed strike past Nick Pope. Nevertheless, their joy was short-lived, as a familiar foe in Harvey Barnes wiped out Leeds’ advantage to score his seventh career goal against the Whites from close range.
The momentum had firmly swung in the hosts’ favour, but it was the visitors who struck again, this time from the penalty spot. Thiaw was penalised for an accidental handball in the box, and Calvert-Lewin dispatched the subsequent spot-kick to score his seventh career goal against Newcastle - and his eighth in his last 10 PL matches - at the end of a pulsating first half.
This epic contest showed no signs of slowing down after the break, with Newcastle equalising for a second time with a wonderful goal orchestrated by two Brazilians, as Bruno Guimaraes’ audacious pass with the outside of his right foot was directed home by Joelinton’s equally impressive diving header.
There was seemingly no end to the drama on Tyneside, and Newcastle were somehow denied a third following a game of pinball inside the box, resulting in Schär’s effort hitting the post before Perri denied Nick Woltemade on the follow-up.
This game would have done little to ease the managerial stresses of both Howe and Farke, and the latter’s side almost moved in front again when James Justin’s header hit the bar after Pope was left stranded off his line.
Howe’s men were then dealt a damaging injury blow when the impressive Schar was stretchered off following an unfortunate tangle with Calvert-Lewin, before Leeds took the lead once more.
Ilia Gruev picked out Aaronson, and the USA international bamboozled Sven Botman before dispatching another fine finish. Incredibly, there were yet more twists, as Aaronson was penalised for handling Lewis Hall’s cross, allowing Guimaraes to level the scores.
At the death, Barnes then showed brilliant composure to score his second and Newcastle’s fourth, concluding arguably the best PL match of the season to date.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Harvey Barnes (Newcastle United)
