Toon throw away another lead as late leveller a story of Eddie Howe’s side’s season

But Spaniard Alejandro Grimaldo pegged them back at the death to knock the stuffing right out of the Mags ahead of Sunday’s Wear-Tyne derby.

In a huge concern ahead of the trip to Sunderland, it was all too slow from the Toon first half. But even more concerning than the lack of intensity was the way they fell behind after just six minutes.

One of the biggest things Howe stressed pre-game was the need to improve set-piece defending.

Though any work done appeared to have gone in one ear and out of the other as it proved to be their Achilles heel once more.

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A corner flew across the box, Aaron Ramsdale failed to come for it, and Sandro Tonali was outmuscled far too easily by Robert Andrich. The Leverkusen skipper nodded it back, it hit Bruno Guimaraes’ backside, and flew into the net as the roof came off the BayArena.

Dan Burn instantly let Tonali have it as the hosts celebrated, while Howe was pulling his hair out on the touchline.

Harvey Barnes tried to instantly respond, but just like he had done before the opener, his effort was easily collected by ex-Brentford stopper Mark Flekken after cutting in from the right past Edmond Tapsoba.

But Leverkusen continued to cut through Newcastle with ease. And the Mags were fortunate not to go a man down when Patrik Schick was sent through on goal.

He raced clear of Malick Thiaw before the German defender bundled the pacey Czech forward over right on the edge of the box.

Fortunately, the referee deemed the backtracking Tino Livramento would have covered, and he escaped a red and a nightmare opening for the Toon.

Even that warning failed to get Newcastle going as Ramsdale was called into action to deny Ibrahim Maza after another breakaway.

Nick Woltemade, on his big return to his homeland, was struggling badly. And he fluffed his big moment to equalise with his, and Newcastle’s, first real opener.

Guimaraes’ corner was cleared straight to his feet, but the 6ft 7in giant failed to connect properly and stabbed wide from close-range as he screamed to the heavens in frustration.

Then, out of nowhere, we almost had another own goal. Guimaraes fed it to Barnes on the edge of the area, he slipped in Livramento and the full-back’s low cross hit Aleix Garcia’s boot and headed straight for the near post – only the alert Flekken spared his blushes by tipping round the post.

Ramsdale stood tall to deny Ernest Poku on another counter and he kept his team in it with a brilliant fingertip save over the bar moments before the break.

That was after England international Jarell Quansah, a £30m summer signing from Liverpool, was left free by Gordon to send a vicious drive straight towards the top corner.

Newcastle needed something and fast, and luckily for them Flekken handed them the perfect early Christmas gift just six minutes following the break.

He took far too long after receiving a back pass, allowing Woltemade to close him down and nick it away before chopping the giant down. Up stepped Gordon to rifle home from the spot for a third-straight game.

That was also his fifth Champions League goal this term, and with the wind now in his sails, he came agonisingly close to a sixth.

For the first time in the game, he did Quansah and smashed it low across Flekken only to see his strike cannon out off the far post.

Miley replaced Joelinton in midfield and suddenly the Mags were flying high as the 19-year-old Geordie and Gordon took the game by the scruff of the neck.

More Gordon magic left Quansah flat-footed, and he beat the full-back to deliver it perfectly for Miley to rise and head home.

A super Flekken save denied Thiaw a third while sub Jacob Murphy rattled the post again, and those spurned chances were to prove costly as Maza cut open the Toon defence for Grimaldo to rifle home in the 88th minute.