In a fiercely contested match at St James’ Park, the return of Harvey Barnes from a lengthy injury proved decisive as he notched a crucial goal to salvage a point for Newcastle in a remarkable eight-goal spectacle against Luton.
The action-packed encounter saw Sean Longstaff initially putting the hosts in front, only for Gabriel Osho to swiftly equalize with a well-placed header. Longstaff then restored Newcastle’s lead shortly after, but Ross Barkley leveled the score for Luton just before halftime with a clinical finish.
Luton seized the initiative in the second half, taking the lead for the first time through a retaken penalty converted by Carlton Morris after VAR intervention confirmed a foul by Dan Burn. Elijah Adebayo extended Luton’s advantage, putting them 4-2 ahead.
However, Newcastle rallied late in the game, with Kieran Trippier reducing the deficit before Barnes, making his first appearance since September, delivered a stunning strike to level the score at 4-4.
Despite the thrilling nature of the match, Newcastle missed a golden opportunity to secure victory when Jacob Murphy squandered a clear-cut chance in the 85th minute.
