Newcastle 4-4 Luton: Player ratings as Magpies come from behind in eight-goal epic

Newcastle United duked out a breathless 4-4 draw at home to Luton Town on Saturday afternoon.

It was a jab-jab thrust-thrust bout where each blow landed on their opponent's glass chin. Playground kick-abouts have exerted more defensive discipline.

Luton twice fell behind to a pair of Sean Longstaff goals in the first half but roared back each to go in level at the break. Shortly after the hour mark, Luton found themselves with a 4-2 lead.

Kieran Trippier halved the deficit before the returning Harvey Barnes fired Newcastle level with 17 minutes of normal time still to play. Both sides had chances to snatch all three points but the spoils, eventually, would be shared.

How the game unfolded

Longstaff needed less than seven minutes to crank up the volume on Tyneside, crashing into the box to drill Trippier's cutback into the bottom corner.

The visitors didn't wilt in the face of Newcastle's commanding start. Gabriel Osho swiftly equalised for Luton midway through the first half, nodding in from a well-worked set piece after 20 minutes.

However, Luton's eagerness to assert themselves with an aggressive press played into Newcastle's hands. Aston Villa's high line was repeatedly pierced by the Magpies' jet-heeled frontline in midweek and Luton could soon relate. Anthony Gordon left Osho trailing in his wake on the break, firing off a shot that Thomas Kaminski parried to the feet of Longstaff. Just 121 short seconds after Osho's equaliser, Longstaff restored Newcastle's lead.

Eddie Howe's side boasted the joint-best defensive record in the division last term. This season's iteration is a limp imitation and has already shipped more goals. Ross Barkley speared through Newcastle's soft centre shortly before the interval, driving Luton into the box before gobbling up Martin Dubravka's spilt save.

The half-time interval didn't take away any of the swash and buckle from both sides.

The jet-heeled Chiedozie Ogbene looked like he was playing on fast-forward while Dan Burn lumbered around in real-time. It took a lengthy VAR review to reveal that Burn's tug on the speedster had continued into the penalty box. Carlton Morris converted his retaken spot kick, placing it into the same corner as his first effort which was too quick for the referee.

Elijah Adebayo, Luton's hat-trick hero against Brighton, ensured that the Hatters racked up four goals for the second time in a week.

But Newcastle would not be muzzled. Trippier was nowhere to be seen when Adebayo finished off a swift counterattack yet popped up in exactly the right place at the right time to volley Bruno Guimaraes' audacious cross into the far corner.

Barnes had not featured for Newcastle since the 8-0 drubbing of Sheffield United in September and came off the bench to ensure that Saturday's contest was a very different type of eight-goal game. After yet more excellent battling from Lewis Miley, Barnes scooped up the loose ball and gently guided it into the bottom corner from outside the box, hauling Newcastle level in the 73rd minute.

Newcastle player ratings (4-3-3)

GK: Martin Dubravka - 4/10 - Took the ball away from his own players when presenting it to the feet of Barkley in the first half.

RB: Kieran Trippier - 7/10 - Cantering forward at will, Trippier's positioning cost Newcastle a goal but led to two of their own.

CB: Fabian Schar - 5/10 - Up against the immensely physical Adebayo, Schar proved to be no shrinking violet himself.

CB: Sven Botman - 4/10 - Couldn't live with the frantic pace of the game.

LB: Dan Burn - 2/10 - Resorted to wildly lunging into tackles very early in the contest.

CM: Sean Longstaff - 7/10 - Scored the first brace of his Newcastle career but was hardly faultless, proving far less effective in his own half.

CM: Bruno Guimaraes - 5/10 - Lubricated Newcastle's forward thrusts but didn't do much to disrupt the orange surges from Luton.

CM: Lewis Miley - 8/10 - Boasted a deftness of touch and appreciation for space which belied his tender years.

RW: Jacob Murphy - 5/10 - Tirelessly buzzed around the final third with endless energy that was occasionally channelled down blind alleys.

ST: Anthony Gordon - 7/10 - Took advantage of the ample space that existed behind Luton's backline. Unfortunate to get hooked at half-time.

LW: Miguel Almiron - 5/10 - Looked more comfortable after swapping flanks for the second half.

Substitutes

SUB: Callum Wilson (46' for Gordon) - 5/10 - Held the ball up well without getting on the end of any clear chances.

SUB: Harvey Barnes (63' for Almiron) - 7/10 - Immediately caught up to the relentless tempo.

SUB: Tino Livramento (64' for Burn) - 5/10

Subs not used: Loris Karius (GK), Paul Dummett, Lewis Hall, Emil Krafth, Joe White, Matt Ritchie

Manager

Eddie Howe - 4/10 - The mismatch between Burn and Ogbene was obvious from the off yet Howe waited until after his player conceded a penalty to make a change.

Luton player ratings (3-4-3)

GK: Thomas Kaminski - 3/10 - Desperately shaky with the ball at his feet and not much more convincing with his hands.

CB: Teden Mengi - 4/10 - Never seemed entirely comfortable with Luton's high line.

CB: Gabriel Osho - 6/10 - Took his goal well but was less commanding in Luton's box.

CB: Amari'i Bell - 4/10 - Struggled to impose himself in such a chaotic contest.

RWB: Chiedozie Ogbene - 8/10 - Proved to have the beating of Burn within the opening minutes. Underscored that fact whenever he got the chance.

CM: Ross Barkley - 8/10 - Embracing his all-action role in midfield, Barkley began the move that he finished off in the first half and teed up Adebayo's goal.

CM: Albert Sambi Lokonga - 6/10 - More often than not, came out on top in the slew of midfield battles he duked out.

LWB: Alfie Doughty - 6/10 - Dangerous as ever from set pieces and got forward when he could in open play.

RW: Jordan Clark - 5/10 - Skirted around the fringes of the contest.

ST: Elijah Adebayo - 7/10 - Put himself about in the final third to create space for others before finding the net himself.

LW: Carlton Morris - 7/10 - Nodded the ball across the box to tee up Osho's first equaliser and held his nerve well from the spot.

Substitutes

SUB: Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (68' for Clark) - 5/10

SUB: Jacob Brown (79' for Morris) - 5/10

SUB: Reece Burke (79' for Doughty) - 5/10

SUB: Cauley Woodrow (88' for Adebayo) - N/A

Subs not used: Tim Krul (GK), Issa Kabore, Tahith Chong, Luke Berry, Andros Townsend

Manager

Rob Edwards - 5/10 - No doubt that his side played well for large stretches but the lack of solidity throughout must be a concern.

Player of the match - Ross Barkley (Luton)

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