Leeds v Newcastle player ratings: Kristensen 8, Firpo 3; Trippier 5, Wilson 8

Relegation-threatened Yorkshiremen fight back to earn 2-2 draw against top-four chasing Magpies

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  LEEDS RATINGS: Joel Robles 7: Went right way for Wilson’s penalty but had been placed right in bottom corner. Tried to put off same player ahead of second penalty – and was booked for troubles - but failed to succeed. Vital saves from Saint Maximin and Schar late on. Getty

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  Luke Ayling 6: Captain fired Leeds ahead into early lead from close range at back post after Pope had saved from Rogrido for his first goal at Elland Road since 2020 when Leeds were in second tier. Given run around by Willock at times in second half. AP

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  Rasmus Kristensen 8: Important deflection on Wilson strike to send effort over bar early on second half. Unlikely scorer when his shot took huge deflection off Trippier to make it 2-2. AP

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  Max Wober 6: Clumsy challenge on Isak gave referee easy penalty call to make and Wilson made no mistake form spot. A nervy performance from Austrian. AP

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  Junior Firpo 3: Scythed down by Joelinton to earn Leeds penalty. Unfortunate slip allowed Isak through on goal only for Wober to chop down Swede. Booked for reckless late tackle on Guimaraes. Ludicrous handball led to second Newcastle penalty. Sent-off for bringing down Gordon in injury-time. Getty

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  Robin Koch 7: German exemplified the determination of Leeds throughout the match played out in front of an electric Elland Road support. Harrassed and hassled Newcastle's midfielder's at every opportunity. Getty

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  Weston McKennie 6: United States international launched a few long-throws into box that Newcastle dealt with comfortably. Snatched at shot in second half and skied it way over bar. AFP

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  Rodrigo 7: Came off bench to score against Man City last week and saw early header saved by Pope only for Ayling to score from rebound. Worked tirelessly for home side's cause. Getty

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  Sam Greenwood 5: Poor clearance in opening few minutes handed chance to Joelinton. Lacking composure as he blazed right-footed chance from edge of area way over bar just before break. Occasion proved too much for 21-year-old who was hooked at half-time. AP

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  Jack Harrison 6: Wideman, who was linked with move to Newcastle last season, certainly put in a shift but lacked the final product that Leeds needed and was no surprise when he came off in second half. Reuters

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  Patrick Bamford 6: His ball into box from left led to Ayling opening the scoring. Could have put Leeds 2-0 up but saw poor penalty saved by Pope and looked deflated for rest of first half. Getty

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  SUBS: Adam Forshaw (On for Greenwood 46’) 8: Lung-bursting run back in injury-time to prevent Saint-Maxmin being through on goal summed up his efforts as he brought some stability to the Leeds midfield. PA

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  Wilfried Gnonto (On for Harrison 63’) 6: Booked for complaining to referee after second Newcastle penalty awarded. PA

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  Brenden Aaronson (On for Rodrigo 87’) N/A. Reuters

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  Pascal Struijk (On for Bamford 90+2’) N/A. PA

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  NEWCASTLE RATINGS: Nick Pope 7: Parried Rodrigo’s header straight to Ayling for Leeds’ opener. Saved Bamford’s weak penalty to prevent Leeds going two-goals head in first half. No chance with second Leeds goal that took huge deflection.

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  Kieran Trippier 5: Allowed Bamford too much time and space to supply cross for early goal. Headed deflection sent Kristensen shot past Pope for second. Unusually mixed bag with his dead-ball efforts with some training-ground routines failing to come off in spectacular fashion. AP

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  Fabian Schar 7: Good performance at back from Swiss and had a couple of opportunities at other end of pitch, with one header cleared off line and then had volley saved by Robles in injury-time. Reuters

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  Sven Botman 7: Dutchman helped keep Bamford quiet and made some important interceptions but Newcastle are struggling to keep clean sheets at the moment which will be worry to manager Eddie Howe.

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  Dan Burn 7: The Geordie defender had a fine game at the back and hardly put a foot wrong at Elland Road. Has made the left-back spot his own this season. AP

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  Bruno Guimaraes 6: Frustrating afternoon for Brazilian whose normally finely tuned passing radar was off kilter at times as he over-hit some balls and picked out Leeds players rather than teammates with others in opening 45. Improved after break but was rightly booked for diving just before half-hour mark. Reuters

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  Joe Willock 7: Went down far too easily after a couple of challenged in first half much to annoyance of home fans. But his surging runs down flank caused Leeds – and Ayling in particular – a few problems after break. AP

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  Joelinton 6: Awful challenge on Firpo gifted Leeds clear penalty but Pope came to his rescue saving Bamford’s spot kick. Another Magpies player not hitting his usual high standards of this season. AFP

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  Miguel Almiron 8: Back in starting XI ahead of Jacob Murphy and curled fine effort just wide of target before half-time. His workrate is second to none, was tireless launching Newcastle on attacks and helping win back possession in defensive areas. AFP

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  Callum Wilson 8: Turn and shot from acute angle in 11th minute but hit straight at keeper. Two ice-cool finishes from penalty spot that takes his tally for season to 17. Saw another shot deflected over bar just after break. PA

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  Alexander Isak 7: Failed to track back with Ayling as Leeds full-back scored opening goal. Surging run into box recklessly ended by Wober to earn Newcastle penalty. Pace a constant problem for Leeds defenders. AP

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  SUBS: Allan Saint-Maximin (On for Wilson 72’) 7: Had ball in net minutes after coming on but Isak had been caught offside. Saw another striker saved well by keeper. Getty

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  Anthony Gordon (On for Almiron 72’) 6: Thought that he’d won Newcastle a third penalty when brought down by Firpo but challenge took place just outside of box. Getty

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  Elliot Anderson (On for Willock 86’) N/A. Getty

A deflected strike from defender Rasmus Kristensen earned Leeds United a vital point in their fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League as they drew 2-2 against Newcastle United at Elland Road on Saturday.

It was a frantic 90 minutes in Yorkshire high on drama but low in quality as Sam Allardyce secured his first point as Leeds manager after a match that saw three penalties and a red card.

Leeds had gone in front after just seven minutes when captain Luke Ayling fired home at the back post after Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope had saved Rodrigo's header.

A dreadful Joelinton tackle on Junior Firpo had then earned Leeds a penalty only for Pope to comfortably stop Patrick Bamford's weak attempt from the spot.

It was to prove a pivotal moment as Newcastle quickly earned themselves a penalty at the other end when Maximilian Wober's poor challenge on Alexander Isak gave Callum Wilson the chance to equalise - and the Magpies striker made no mistake.

And the Magpies looked on course for all three points in the second half when Firpo inexplicably handled in the box and Wilson finished again to score his 17th goal of the season with 21 minutes to go.

That would have made life a lot easier if we'd have scored that penalty. I think we'd have won

Sam Allardyce

Leeds looked a beaten side, only for Kristensen's shot to take a wicked deflection off Kieran Trippier's head to send the home fans wild, although it was a nervy end to the game for the Yorksiremen after Firpo was second off for a second bookable offence for bringing down Anthony Gordon.

But Allardyce's side held on for a point that failed to lift them out of the relegation zone but does lift them above Leicester City and into 18th place.

“I don't believe what's happened out there, what we've done to ourselves,” said Allardyce after the game.

“That would have made life a lot easier if we'd have scored that penalty. I think we'd have won. Then we shot ourselves in the foot with two penalties and a red card. It's a tremendous point in the circumstances.

“I've been talking about staying on your feet all week and they haven't listened. They have to listen next week. We can't afford to make rash tackles like today.

“There is a lot of spirit and fight in the camp. They didn't let their heads go down.”

Newcastle, meanwhile, remain in third place, three points ahead of Manchester United, who are at home to Wolves later on Saturday.

“It was a strange game,” admitted manager Eddie Howe. “From going 2-0 down and then going 2-1 up and not seeing the game out. We are disappointed now but it could be a big point. Sometimes you have to take the positives, and we were OK today without being at our very best.

“The game swings on huge moments. Nick Pope makes a massive save for us, as he has done all season, and it was a huge moment. Then we got our penalties. We could have been better around the box but we couldn’t see the game out.”

You can see the player ratings from Saturday's match in the gallery above. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or swipe if using a mobile device.