The Past Echoes Again for Newcastle

Aaron Ramsdale threw his arms out in anger. Malick Thiaw hammered the ground in disgust. Dan Burn and Jacob Murphy stood in disbelief, hands on heads.

The past was coming back to haunt them for the Magpies as the BayArena erupted following an 88th-minute equaliser for Bayer Leverkusen's Alex Grimaldo.

After showing remarkable spirit to come from behind, and take the lead against the Bundesliga outfit, Newcastle were again denied a precious victory.

They had conceded yet another late goal.

"You must show character and be accountable and we didn't do it well enough," Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe said following the 2-2 draw in the Champions League. "That's a team thing – the entire squad realising the importance of defending our goal."

Newcastle have now conceded nine goals in the dying moments of games in every tournament this season.

Solely Nottingham Forest have let in more among top-flight English teams.

"It all comes back to mentality," scorer Anthony Gordon told broadcasters. "We have to hold out in these games because that is how elite sides operate."

'We Gave Ourselves a Mountain to Climb'

Newcastle aim to become a leading side, of course.

And there was no danger of the away team having their focus diverted by Sunday's local rivalry clash.

So crucial was this match, and the esteem he held for Leverkusen, Howe selected perhaps his best available side as Lewis Hall, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes all were included in the team.

However, they soon fell behind in a recurring theme after not winning the initial header on a corner kick.

Leverkusen captain Robert Andrich easily shrugged off Tonali at the far post to direct his header off a defender and into the net.

"Our performance isn't good enough," Gordon said. "Once more, it's about mindset. We need to be stronger, we need to be better. In the end, it's consistency. We need to be a reliable team in every phase of the game."

Newcastle have devoted practice to dead-ball situations recently, but a usually assured side have looked vulnerable from corner kicks in the recent matches.

'Must Employ Any Means Necessary for Victory'

Yet Newcastle found a way to climb it.

After a stern team talk at the interval, the Magpies responded after the break and won a penalty.

And after converting the penalty, Gordon then went on to provide the assist for substitute Lewis Miley's header to put Newcastle in front.

Yet, another familiar issue surfaced.

Despite taking the lead in the 74th minute, Newcastle were unable to see out the game.

This side have dropped more points from ahead situations - 11 - than any other team in the Premier League.

They have failed to win four of their past five matches on the road in all competitions despite taking the lead in all of them.

Newcastle came close to scoring again through substitute Jacob Murphy after going in front, but Howe's side started to retreat against Leverkusen in the closing stages.

And Grimaldo's clever dummy took Newcastle's midfield out of the game before the Leverkusen talisman levelled.

"It's not simply about defending deeply and absorbing pressure," the Newcastle head coach said. "That's not number one in our aim, but you must employ all necessary tactics to win. Sometimes that is par for the course, that's what you have to do."

Newcastle remain on course for at least a qualifying round place and are only a few points off the automatic qualification places for the knockout stages.

But Howe's team must not allow history happen again when they host a PSV side who are finding their rhythm, before a journey to the home of PSG to take on reigning champions Paris St-Germain.

"Everything is still to play for," Howe added. "The fixtures we have are extremely tough games but I believe in the group. No matter the venue, if we're near our best, we can win."