Excuse me while I recover from a heart flutter. I mean what were the odds given that Newcastle United have put everyone through the emotional wringer all season.

There seemed more chance of spotting Lord Lucan riding Shergar down Barrack Road with Howard Hughes hitching a lift and a Dodo trotting along amiably behind them!

Leeds United 0 Newcastle United 1. Read it and weep you Yorkshire lads and lasses. Read it and blink you Geordies.

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Consider this:

  • The Mags had won only one Premier League game in 20.
  • They had kept just a solitary clean sheet and conceded a mountainous 43 goals in the process.
  • They had the worst away record in the division.
  • United had sacrificed 21 points from winning positions, the most of any PL club, and still had more than 15 minutes to play when Jonjo Shelvey gave them a precious lead.
  • When normal time was up the fourth official hoisted his board showing five minutes of added on time. More shredded nerves.
  • Newcastle had lost three of their most senior players - Jamaal Lascelles, Paul Dummett and Joelinton - to muscle injuries.
  • Deflation had set in with not one player signed in the January window during the build-up week.
  • Leeds had won their previous two league matches and were looking to make it three at the start of a calendar year for the first time since Don Revie in 1973 while Newcastle with new signings each time had failed to win at home to mightily modest opposition Cambridge and Watford.

So what happens? A coupon buster of a result so desperately, desperately required with Norwich's shock 3-0 win at Watford the previous night.

Now it's off to Saudi for sunshine training bolstered by a chink of light at the end of a long dark tunnel - United are unbelievably only a point behind fourth bottom Norwich with a match in hand.

Can the Great Escape happen? Yes. Will it happen? Maybe if United still buy in the transfer market because Eddie Howe cannot get blinded by the joy in Jeddah.

Miracles happen but not every day. Help is required.

How often will this side keep clean sheets? How often will an opposing team fail to score from so many opportunities as Leeds did admittedly playing without an orthodox centre-forward?

Still, let us not be picky. Let us be grateful.

Raphinha had tortured Newcastle first-half but without Patrick Bamford there was no end product and to their credit the Mags came on strong after the interval.

Yes, Leeds keeper Illan Meslier made a dog's dinner of Shelvey's free-kick waving a weak wrist at the tame shot but then referee Chris Kavanagh disgracefully failed to give us a penalty when Allan Saint-Maximin was tripped by Robin Koch.

Ryan Fraser too might have given Newcastle a two-goal cushion they have never enjoyed this campaign but shot wide when it was just as easy to score.

In fairness to Shelvey he had produced a much better effort with his other foot, his left, on the half-hour mark which this time produced a good save by Meslier.

As attractive as the Whites can be pouring forward their defence always gives you a chance. They have now given up 40 goals in 21 games which is only topped by Newcastle (43) and Norwich (45).

Of course United had unlikely heroes - Fabian Schar who has been as guilty as anyone in a defence full of holes was a giant while Javier Manquillo went on for Dummett, gained his team their free-kick from which they scored the winner, and generally battled manfully on his wrong side.

Equally a likely lad Kieran Trippier was a star again. Forget Lascelles, this is United's future captain. Legends Alan Shearer and SuperMac reckon so and that is my thought too.

Trippier has been a terrific signing this window. Chris Wood still has to justify a fee twice that of his peer.

What was heart-warming was the reward for United's ever suffering loyal away fans who once again sold out their end and partied on the terraces long after the final whistle.

Putting aside any moral issue over the Saudis if any neutral thinks these supporters deserve relegation they fail to acknowledge the romance of football.

Everton next after a long break to get players fit and sign others will provide another opportunity.

Perhaps Big Dunc will be coming back in charge instead of Rafa unless Everton appoint a permanent replacement in the meantime and he will be spitting fire and brimstone but Red Steven Gerrard tucked him up over the weekend so nought has changed for the other half of Liverpool.

However Newcastle dare not allow themselves to get carried away. Let them remember instead what happened after their best display of the season against Manchester United and safeguard against a repeat.

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