"I thought to a man everybody really contributed to the win. An incredible intensity - it always is against Leeds. We had to be very good physically and we’ve ended up with a few injuries but it was a heroic effort in the end.

"Massively impressed with the players. That was a big test for us off the back of last week. The pleasing thing was that it wasn't backs to the wall - we weren't camped in our box. If anything we looked like the team that might score again.

"Today we learned that there's a resilience in the team. They are fighting for each other and fighting for the club. They have belief that we're not dead and buried and there's more to come.

"I'm so pleased for everybody connected with Newcastle that we won the game. It was a big match and hopefully it can transform our season."

"It was a massive win for us. I thought we played very well today. First half was a bit cagey. Second half we played really well, we defended well. We became a real counter threat the longer the game went on.

"Martin Dubravka played really well today. He made the save, commanded his box, took crosses. I thought our second half performance was really, really good. Chris Wood also gave us a platform as well from the central position. His work rate was tireless.

"Hanging on at the end is something we haven't done very well this season so that is a big psychological barrier we are hopefully on our way to overcome. I didn't feel we would concede today.

"We hope to use it as a turning point in our season, we need to, we need more wins, we need some momentum, so fingers crossed."

On Jonjo Shelvey:

"He's hugely important. He's the central player in the team. He's the supplier in possession & starts a lot of our attacks.

"From a defensive perspective he got his positioning spot on today. He stopped a lot of their attacks so I was really pleased with him."

On the fans:

"Right from early in the game they were brilliant. Leeds can be a hostile atmosphere but I cannot pay enough compliments to that support. It does make you think what could be if we could bring consistent success."

To the delight of a raucous away support, Newcastle collected a potentially priceless three points at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon thanks to Jonjo Shelvey's second half free kick conversion.

Having gone ahead in ten of their 20 previous Premier League games only to then fritter nine of those advantages away, today saw the black-clad Magpies finally manage to hang on to that lead.    

Their first away success of the season - and only a second league victory and clean sheet - brought massive relief to fans, players and management alike, prompting memorable scenes at full time.

The significance of finally winning in front of an away crowd for the first time since Southampton in March 2020 cannot be overstated: subsequent victories at Bournemouth, West Ham, Palace, Everton, Burnley, Leicester and Fulham may have been satisfying, but the collective "I was there" outpouring of joy that accompanied those conquests was missing - until today.

Success came at a cost for Eddie Howe's side however; Joelinton, Paul Dummett and Jamaal Lascelles all limping off and Ryan Fraser playing out the latter stages limping badly with all three substitutes on.

Fielding ten of the starting line-up held 1-1 by Watford a week earlier, Sean Longstaff dropped out in favour of Joe Willock, with the former Arsenal man  reprising the advanced central midfield role from his loan spell last season.

Neither side dominated a tense opening half with clear chances in short supply and moments of quality fleeting: Shelvey's well-judged left footed volley just before the half hour matched by Illan Meslier's two-handed stop.

The opening stages of the second period saw the hosts threaten to push on with with the rigours of the opening 45 minutes seemingly catching up with Newcastle. However, the earlier arrival of Longstaff for Joelinton gave them some legs in midfield and Lobby's efforts would prove invaluable.

The vital breakthrough came when another substitute - Javier Manquillo, in at left back for Dummett - won a free kick on the left side of the Leeds box. Set piece specialist Kieran Trippier left it to Shelvey and he belted it home - aided by Meslier's questionable positioning and consequent mishandling.

With 15 minutes remaining to hold out, plus the inevitable chunk of stoppage time, Newcastle to their credit went after a second goal rather than sitting back and inviting their opponents on to them. Some surprisingly competent defending from messrs Clark and Schar also helped - the latter usually more relaxed and effective when part of a back five.

Referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR boffin Kevin Friend saw nothing wrong with an 85th minute foul in the box by Robin Koch on Allan Saint-Maximin - but replays indicated that a penalty was justified.

The expected Leeds onslaught never materialised, home fans (whose early volume soon dissipated) drifting away well before full time and what balls did make it into our box were competently collected by Martin Dubravka.

Victory lifted Newcastle above Watford into 18th; a point behind Norwich City who won at Vicarage Road on Friday. Burnley remain bottom but with up to five games in hand on teams above them ahead of Sunday's visit to Arsenal. Leeds meanwhile missed their chance to find mid-table, as Everton slipped closer to the danger zone after losing at home to Aston Villa.

Despite some grumbling from the stands, here's no suggestion that PIF were growing discontented with the manager and already looking for a change as per Watford, but aside from a certain Spaniard, it's hard to see how they would actually manage to secure a replacement given their track record to date.

With a 16 day gap before their next PL game against Everton, the squad flew out on Sunday for a week-long training camp in Saudi Arabia - although Miguel Almiron and Chris Wood were elsewhere on international duty.

They depart in a more upbeat mood than many anticipated pre-match; taking four points from games against Watford and Leeds in the order we did typically backwards (notwithstanding our perpetual liking for this place).

Once the celebrations subside though, lengthening injury concerns and a transfer window closing in little over a week mean that much work still needs to be done. Rather than provide some respite, this victory has to spur those at the helm on to renewed efforts in recruitment.

We may have belatedly given ourselves the chance of extricating ourselves from a mess of our own making, but failure to reinforce the defence at least would be criminally negligent. Before the next ball is kicked in anger, we'll know whether our chances of survival have really improved, or this proves to be a false dawn like that home victory over Boro in 2009.

Another victory - another group photograph

Biffa