Magpies go top

Under the scrutiny of the inscrutable Swede, Leeds' quartet of Lee Bowyer, Jonathan Woodgate, Alan Smith and Danny Mills did themselves few favours in pursuit of their World Cup dreams.

True, Smith showed from the off that he can take a chance, scoring as he did after only 28 seconds to give the biggest crowd of the season on Tyneside - 52,130 - a mouth-watering taste of what was to come in this enthralling match.

But, in the current climate, discipline is the hot topic and Leeds' lack of it is placing their Premiership title prospects in jeopardy.

Midfielder Bowyer and centre-back Woodgate, whose every move falls under the spotlight following their well-documented court appearances, produced largely assured performances.

The only blemish for Middlesbrough-born Woodgate was a booking for a relatively innocuous challenge on Kieron Dyer, a trifling offence compared to the snarling aggression which resulted in more serious consequences for striker Smith and right-back Mills.

Sent off for the sixth time in his career and second this season in his side's FA Cup humiliation at Cardiff six days earlier, Smith picked up his fifth booking of the campaign and a further suspension only two minutes from the end of Saturday's game for a needless foul.

By then, however, Leeds were down to ten men after Mills too had collected his second red card this term for committing a maniacal hack at Craig Bellamy.

The wonder was that Bowyer, another serial on-field offender who has already been sent off himself this season, didn't join his teammates in referee Graham Barber's black book.

Eriksson can't have been impressed, but at least he came away certain in the knowledge that Newcastle schemer Dyer carries a different type of menace he cannot ignore when it comes to sorting out the wheat from the chaff for the summer campaign in Japan and South Korea.

Dyer, who has had off-field problems of his own, is a rejuvenated character since his return from nearly ten months out with serious shin trouble.

On this occasion, he scored one - his first for almost exactly a year - and made one for Craig Bellamy in marvellous fashion as Newcastle recovered from the shock of Smith's lightning strike to record their second successive League double against Leeds.

Dyer's display was such that Newcastle boss Bobby Robson was moved to describe the £20m-rated midfielder as "a genius''. And former England manager Robson reckons that, after little more than a month back in the first-team fold, the 23-year-old is still "20 per cent short'' of his best.

"He has this extraordinary level of fitness where he's at his best late in a game,'' said Robson.

"Bryan Robson and John Wark were like that as well, but neither of them had Kieron's pace.

"Kieron is a different type of player. He's a will-o'-the-wisp, a little genius. He's a unique talent.

"He could do for Sven what he does for me. I think he's in the same class as David Beckham, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes.

"He's only been playing for a month after being out for ten.''

Dyer's performance was all the more remarkable for the fact that he had been struck down with a bug on the eve of the game and been on anti-biotics.

But the contribution of Bellamy was equally important.

Smith, deputising for Robbie Fowler who was forced to pull out of the game because of a family bereavement, linked superbly with Mark Viduka to grab his breakaway opener and Newcastle had to wait until three minutes before half-time for their equaliser.

Bellamy's centre was flicked on by Nolberto Solano and Leeds defender Michael Duberry headed into his own goal.

Newcastle should have gone ahead just after the break when Bellamy chased Robbie Elliott's ball over the top of the Leeds defence.

But, not for the first time in his career, Bellamy lost his nerve in a one-on-one and fired straight at keeper Nigel Martyn.

It was a glaring miss, but soon forgotten when he provided a sublime touch to set up Dyer on the hour.

Solano delivered a teasing ball from the right, Bellamy cleverly chested it down, and Dyer took a touch before finishing with a brilliant reverse angled left-foot drive.

Bellamy was left writhing in agony after being kicked on the shin by Mills in the 70th minute.

But ten-man Leeds rallied and soon afterwards Newcastle keeper Shay Given pulled off a magnificent double save to deny Viduka and Smith.

"I wouldn't swap Shay for anyone,'' Robson said later, and the same undoubtedly applies to Dyer and Bellamy.

Dyer returned the compliment to his teammate three minutes from time, threading a delightful ball behind the defence for Bellamy to run on to and clinically clip past Martyn.

"I think that boy Bellamy is fantastic,'' said Robson. "He's threatening, he's quick, he's penetrating all the time and he's got quality on the ball.''

Robson, however, still refuses to entertain talk of the title.

He said: "We're aware that Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Leeds are playing in Europe and have a heavy schedule. "That's an advantage to us, because we don't have that problem.

"But there's no sense in shouting about anything.''

A few more wins like this, though, and Bobby could be a little hoarse.

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