Five things we learned from Newcastle’s pulsating 2-2 draw with Bayer Leverkusen
06:00, 11 Dec 2025Updated 09:44, 11 Dec 2025
Malick Thiaw brings down Patrik Schick but escapes a red card and a penalty
Newcastle United dropped two golden points in the Champions League on Thursday evening after Alejandro Grimaldo grabbed a late equaliser for Bayer Leverkusen in their 2-2 draw with the Magpies.
United went in at half-time 1-0 down after Bruno Guimaraes’ own goal but a spirited second half fight-back saw them take a 2-1 lead after Anthony Gordon scored from the penalty spot and Lewis Miley headed Newcastle in front.
But Grimaldo’s late leveller was a real sucker punch, particularly after Gordon and Jacob Murphy had both hit the post in the second half, as another late goal cost Newcastle what would have been a priceless win on European soil.
Here are five things we learned from the BayArena.
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Thiaw’s kryptonite?
Malick Thiaw has not put a foot wrong all season but Patrik Schick gave him nightmares in the first half. It seemed as if Thiaw was instructed to man mark the Czech international forward but he couldn’t get to grips with him and it was causing huge gaps in Newcastle’s backline that Leverkusen were exploiting.
It almost led to the Germany international getting sent off when he bundled Schick over on the edge of the box and thankfully the referee gave him a booking rather than a red card for a last man challenge.
Schick was replaced at half-time with an injury niggle and Thiaw looked look a weight had been lifted in the second half. He twice almost scored from headers and he looked back to his composed best defensively, too.
Set piece problem
I have lost count in recent weeks with how many times Howe has bemoaned Newcastle’s defending at set-pieces in press conferences.
He told me after the win at Everton that set-pieces can win you games and lose you games and since that game, Newcastle have conceded from them in each of the next three matches.
It is something they have to fix, and quickly, starting on Sunday against Sunderland. Set-piece guru Martin Mark will have his hands full over the next 72 hours on the training ground and with his planning. Whatever they’ve been, they need ripped up and starting again.
Players of Bayer 04 Leverkusen celebrate after Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle United (not pictured) scores an own goalOpportunity missed
When Miley put Newcastle 2-1 up, the Magpies were sixth in the live Champions League league phase table.
The top eight teams qualify directly to the last 16 and avoid a two-legged play-off tie, while teams who finish ninth to 24th must play in said play-off to move through to the last 16.
Those two dropped points mean Eddie Howe’s side are now in 12th place, which is still a decent position, but it shows how tight the margins are in Europe’s elite competition that the concession of one goal saw them fall six places in the league.
It was a third successive game where a late goal has hurt Newcastle. It is a habit they must curb – and quickly.
Gordon closes on Shearer record
Gordon has become a master penalty-kick taker for Newcastle and he confidently tucked away United’s equaliser after Nick Woltemade’s pressing caused Leverkusen goalkeeper Mark Flekken to lose concentration, and the ball at his feet, before hauling down the Germany international forward.
The 24-year-old sent Flekken the wrong way to score his seventh goal of the season and his fifth in the Champions League. Only Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Victor Osimhen have scored more in this season’s competition.
It also means he is now Newcastle’s second top goalscorer in the competition, with only Alan Shearer having scored more in the Champions League with seven goals.
He set up Newcastle’s second goal with a brilliant cross for Miley and hit the post in the second half, too, and he is slowly creeping towards a return to his best form.
Anthony Gordon celebrates after shooting from the penalty spot to score Newcastle United’s equaliser against Bayer LeverkusenStrongest XI decision
Howe named arguably his strongest starting XI in Germany and it will be interesting to see if that is the team he goes with in Sunday’s Wear-Tyne derby.
Certainly, that would have probably been the plan but Joelinton and Harvey Barnes both came off as a precaution after picking up knocks in the second half and that may alter his plans.
Hopefully Wednesday’s efforts have not drained too much energy from Newcastle’s players ahead of Sunday’s Wear-Tyne derby.