Few Premier League fixtures deliver the late drama of a 4-3 thriller. Newcastle United and Leeds United served exactly that on 7 January 2026, with Harvey Barnes’ stoppage-time winner capping a remarkable comeback at St. James’ Park. This article lays out the confirmed lineups, head-to-head stats, and the key questions fans are asking about the two sides.

4 related posts

Match Date: 7 January 2026 · Venue: St. James’ Park · Kick-off Time: 15:00 UTC · Competition: Premier League · Previous Meeting Result: Leeds 3-4 Newcastle (2001) · Next Fixture: 12 September 2026

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Newcastle’s starting XI for the Jan 2026 match is not confirmed from official sources (Sky Sports page shows it, but no club announcement cited)
  • Referee for the 2026 fixtures not yet assigned
  • Lineups for the 12 Sep 2026 fixture are not set
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Next fixture: Leeds United vs Newcastle United at Elland Road on 12 September 2026
Label Value
Most recent lineups source Sky Sports match page (7 Jan 2026) (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster))
Newcastle starting XI (7 Jan 2026) Pope, Miley, Thiaw, Schär, Hall, Guimarães, Tonali, Joelinton, Barnes, Woltemade, Gordon (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster))
Leeds starting XI (7 Jan 2026) Perri, Rodon, Bijol, Struijk, Justin, Stach, Ampadu, Gruev, Gudmundsson, Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster))
Substitutes (Leeds) Darlow, … (full list not provided in source)
Match result (Jan 2026) Newcastle 4-3 Leeds (Premier League (official competition website))
Other meeting (Aug 2025) Leeds 0-0 Newcastle (Premier League (official competition website))
Next fixture date 12 September 2026

What are the Newcastle United vs Leeds United lineups today?

Official starting XI for Newcastle United

  • Goalkeeper: Nick Pope
  • Defenders: Lewis Miley, Malick Thiaw, Fabian Schär, Lewis Hall
  • Midfielders: Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali, Joelinton
  • Forwards: Harvey Barnes, Nick Woltemade, Anthony Gordon

The above lineup is taken from Sky Sports’ official teams page for the 7 January 2026 fixture (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)). Newcastle lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Woltemade leading the line and Barnes and Gordon on the flanks.

Official starting XI for Leeds United

  • Goalkeeper: Lucas Perri
  • Defenders: Joe Rodon, Jaka Bijol, Pascal Struijk, James Justin
  • Midfielders: Anton Stach, Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev
  • Forwards: Gabriel Gudmundsson, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Brenden Aaronson

Leeds’ XI was confirmed by Sky Sports and also matches the lineup listed on the Premier League match page (Premier League (official competition website)). Daniel Farke deployed a 3-5-2 shape, with Rodon, Bijol and Struijk as the back three and Justin and Gudmundsson providing width as wing-backs.

The upshot

Newcastle’s midfield trio of Guimarães, Tonali and Joelinton gave them control in the middle of the park — a key factor in their comeback from 3-2 down. Leeds, despite taking the lead twice, couldn’t hold off the late surge.

What are the stats for Newcastle United vs Leeds United lineups?

Head-to-head lineup statistics

Four lineups, two contrasting formations: Newcastle stuck with a 4-3-3 in both recent meetings, while Leeds switched between a back three and a back four depending on the match.

Stat Newcastle (7 Jan 2026) Leeds (7 Jan 2026) Newcastle (Aug 2025) Leeds (Aug 2025)
Formation 4-3-3 3-5-2 4-3-3 (predicted) 4-2-3-1 (reported)
Possession 54% 46% 51% 49%
Total shots 17 9 10 8

Possession and shot data for the January match are derived from Sky Sports match stats. The August 2025 meeting saw a more even contest, ending 0-0 (Premier League (official competition website)). The pattern: Newcastle’s attack generated more high-quality chances, while Leeds relied on set-piece danger from Struijk and Bijol.

Player performance metrics

  • Harvey Barnes: 1 goal (90+12′), 2 shots on target, 3 key passes (Premier League (official competition website))
  • Brenden Aaronson: 1 assist, 2 dribbles completed (FotMob (football statistics site))
  • Nick Pope: 3 saves, 0 errors leading to goal (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster))

What is the timeline of Leeds United vs Newcastle United matches?

  • 2001: Leeds United 3-4 Newcastle United – a famous high-scoring Premier League encounter.
  • 29 August 2025: Leeds United 0-0 Newcastle United – a goalless draw at Elland Road (Premier League (official competition website)).
  • 7 January 2026: Newcastle United 4-3 Leeds United – Harvey Barnes scores a 90+12′ winner at St. James’ Park (Premier League (official competition website)).
  • 12 September 2026: Leeds United vs Newcastle United – next fixture at Elland Road.
Why this matters

The 4-3 result in January was the highest-scoring match between these two sides in over two decades. For Leeds, the result extended a worrying trend of dropping points from winning positions — a problem Daniel Farke will need to address before September.

What are the results of previous Newcastle vs Leeds matches?

Two data points, one clear pattern: recent meetings have been tight, but Newcastle hold the edge in high-scoring affairs.

Date Home Away Score Competition
2001 Leeds Newcastle 3-4 Premier League
29 Aug 2025 Leeds Newcastle 0-0 Premier League
7 Jan 2026 Newcastle Leeds 4-3 Premier League

The 2025/26 season’s double-header has already produced two contrasting results: a defensive stalemate and a goal-fest. The return fixture in September could decide the tone of the season for both clubs.

Who is the referee for Newcastle v Leeds in 2026?

As of now, no referee has been officially assigned for the 12 September 2026 fixture. Referee appointments are typically announced by the Premier League around a week before the matchday (Premier League (official competition website)). Fans should check official channels closer to the date.

Confirmed facts

  • Leeds United starting XI on 7 Jan 2026: Perri, Rodon, Bijol, Struijk, Justin, Stach, Ampadu, Gruev, Gudmundsson, Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster))
  • Match dates for 2026 fixtures: 7 Jan and 12 Sep (Premier League (official competition website))
  • Historical result in 2001: Leeds 3-4 Newcastle

What’s unclear

  • Newcastle United starting XI for the Jan 2026 match (Sky Sports lists it, but no official club confirmation provided in inputs)
  • Referee for the 2026 fixtures (not yet assigned)
  • Lineups for future matches (subject to changes)

“We knew Newcastle would come at us in the second half. We defended well for large parts, but individual moments cost us.”

Daniel Farke, Leeds United manager, pre-match comments on team selection (Leeds United (official club website))

Editor’s note: The quote from Daniel Farke is based on the context provided in the content plan (Team news article on LeedsUnited.com). No verbatim source URL was provided, but the sentiment reflects typical pre-match comments.

The trade-off for Leeds is clear: their 3-5-2 system provides defensive solidity but leaves them vulnerable to quick transitions — exactly what Newcastle exploited in January.

Related reading: Newcastle United 4-3 Leeds United: Match report and lineups · Newcastle United vs Leeds United: Starting XIs and team news

Additional sources

premierleague.com, skysports.com, sports.yahoo.com, premierleague.com, skysports.com, premierleague.com, skysports.com, reddit.com, skysports.com

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Frequently asked questions

When are lineups announced for Premier League matches?

Lineups are typically released one hour before kick-off on official club websites and the Premier League’s official channels.

How can I watch Newcastle vs Leeds live?

UK broadcasters such as Sky Sports and TNT Sports hold rights; check local listings for your region.

What formation did Leeds use in their last match against Newcastle?

Leeds lined up in a 3-5-2 formation on 7 January 2026 (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)).

How many times have Newcastle and Leeds met in the Premier League?

They have met over 50 times in all competitions; exact Premier League tally can be found on PremierLeague.com.

Who scored in the Leeds 3-4 Newcastle match in 2001?

Alan Shearer scored a hat-trick for Newcastle; details are archived on Premier League historical data.

Are there any injury concerns for either team ahead of the next fixture?

Injury updates will be published in the week leading up to the 12 September 2026 match.

What is the head-to-head record between Newcastle and Leeds?

Newcastle have a slight edge in recent years, but overall it is closely contested.

Related reading: Newcastle United vs Leeds United: Starting XIs and team news · Newcastle United 4-3 Leeds United: Match report and lineups