Leeds 5-2 Newcastle: Jack Harrison and Ezgjan Alioski cap dramatic night at Elland Road

Marcelo Bielsa said Leeds United were in a negative cycle ahead of this game. Come the end it was Newcastle in a spin.

There were still some familiar failings – two poor concessions, including another from a set-piece – but at the other end they were back to their very best.

Five goals caused Gary Lineker to tweet, ‘Love watching Leeds play’, and even Bielsa, a manager not prone to excitement, would have enjoyed what he saw, especially on the back of four defeats from six and no home win in three months.  

Jack Harrison is mobbed after capping a fine Leeds display with a stunning left-footed effort

Harrison let rip from outside the Newcastle area and watched as Karl Darlow was left helpless

Harrison celebrates scoring a fifth goal for Leeds which put them totally out of sight

Even when they fell behind in the first half there had been enough energy and invention about their start to suggest it would be no more than a momentary advantage for Steve Bruce’s visitors.

So it proved. Patrick Bamford levelled before the break and Rodrigo headed them in front just after the hour.

Newcastle’s Ciaran Clark headed an equaliser from a corner – the eighth set-piece goal conceded by Leeds – but Stuart Dallas, Ezgjan Alioski and Jack Harrison scored three times in 10 minutes to confirm a victory that was well deserved.   

Jeff Hendrick converts Callum Wilson’s flick on at the far post to send Newcastle into the lead

Hendrick runs away to celebrate as Leeds defender Luke Ayling (left) appeals for offside

After Rodrigo’s effort hit the bar, Patrick Bamford was in position to head into an open net

Bamford celebrates after scoring the equaliser which took him to nine goals for the season

Rodrigo put Leeds in front when he met Jack Harrison’s excellent cross with a pinpoint header

He started and finished the move, clipping the ball wide to Harrison and striding into the area before planting a diving header from his team-mate’s bullet centre into the bottom corner.

Clark then levelled before Dallas turned in from close-range for 3-2 on 78 minutes and Alioski climaxed a lightening break to put the result beyond doubt five minutes from time.

But the goal of the game arrived courtesy of Harrison when he leathered into the top corner from 25 yards.

The first half felt like a highlights reel of Leeds wideman Raphinha. Or lowlights, rather. It wasn’t that he played badly. Indeed, he was his side’s most dangerous player. It was more that he could have had four goals yet, somehow, only drew one save from Karl Darlow.

There was a cross that should have been a shot which bounced wide when unmarked at the far post. A wild swing from 12 yards that sent the stewards on a retrieval mission. A header from a good position that looped harmlessly over, and the one effort that did warrant applause, a stinging volley repelled by Darlow.  

Harrison and Rodrigo embrace after the Brazilian sent Marcelo Bielsa’s side into the lead

Ciaran Clark exposed Leeds’s weakness at set pieces when he rose highest to head home

Clark wheels away to celebrate Newcastle’s equaliser four minutes after Leeds had gone ahead

 actor in other Leeds attempts from Mateusz Klich and Rodrigo – both lashed over the crossbar – and a Liam Cooper header that Darlow did brilliantly to keep out, as well as 70 per cent possession for the hosts, and it is easy to see why Newcastle’s opener felt a little against the run of play.

It arrived on 26 minutes and involved all four of Bruce’s summer signings. Jamal Lewis fed Ryan Fraser on the left and he crossed for Callum Wilson, whose headed flick bounced kindly for Hendrick to turn in from three yards. It was well worked

An equaliser nine minutes later, though, felt like justice on the balance of the opening period. Raphina decided to cross rather than shoot – perhaps just as well – and, when Rodrigo’s header kissed the crossbar, Bamford followed up for an easy conversion. 

Stuart Dallas arrived at the back post to score with a fine diving header past Karl Darlow

Ezgjan Alioski weaved his way through the Newcastle defence before firing beyond Darlow

It was Harrison’s turn next as he let fly with a fine left-footed effort that flew into the net