Kieron Dyer's first Premiership goals for 10 months maintained Newcastle's hopes of a long-overdue title triumph on a day when Leeds showed how much they do miss Jonathan Woodgate.

After Alan Shearer had added Newcastle's third at Elland Road before the hour mark to complete an easy victory, the Leeds supporters then showed their disgust with chants of "Ridsdale, Ridsdale what's the score?" and "sack the board".

Such antipathy underlined Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson's wise decision to keep Woodgate away from Elland Road, a ground he had long graced before last month's shock £9million move to St James' Park.

A clause in his contract, at Leeds' bequest, precluded him from making what would have been an emotional and contentious return, although injury was another reason for his absence on the pitch.

Woodgate, though, was not even allowed to watch this match from the stands due to the potential ramifications which might have ensued had he been spotted, with Robson ordering the England international to stay away.

Leeds had won their previous three matches prior to this comprehensive defeat and there were signs they were coping without Woodgate, as well as captain Dominic Matteo who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury.

But against a team of Newcastle's attacking calibre they had no answer to the cut and thrust the Magpies displayed, with Robson's side now having won six and drawn two of their last eight league matches.

They remain eight points behind leaders Arsenal following the Gunners' romp over Manchester City at Maine Road, but they are within sight of Manchester United as they are just three points adrift and with a game in hand.

Somewhat remarkably, Newcastle's Champions League campaign has proved a spur as the Tyneside club have now won eight and drawn one of their games when they have returned from European action.

It was also sweet revenge for Newcastle following their only home defeat in the league to Leeds earlier in the season when manager Terry Venables' side stole a 2-0 win on a night which suggested they had what it takes to challenge themselves.

But how times have changed in the intervening few months, with Newcastle riding the crest of a wave, while Leeds have suffered one bad headline after another.

The worst of which was Woodgate's departure, which Ridsdale still has to explain to a selected number of fans at a forthcoming meeting early next month, and he is likely to be asked some searching questions.

He would have been squirming in his director's chair on this occasion, particularly with chants of "Ridsdale out" near the end as Newcastle came close to inflicting on Leeds what would have been their worst defeat of the season.

It was in stark contrast to the early exchanges which were end to end prior to the Magpies scoring a sumptuous 13th minute opener, tearing the Leeds defence apart in the process.

Jason Wilcox had grazed the crossbar with a rasping drive before Leeds captain Gary Kelly attempted another quickly taken free-kick, the like of which caught Crystal Palace unawares in the FA Cup last week, only Shay Given was alert on this occasion.

In response, Craig Bellamy and Laurent Robert had dragged shots wide, before they then stamped their undoubted class on the match soon after.

Shearer was the instigator, playing a ball out wide to Bellamy - the two strikers back in harness after serving European bans in midweek for the stunning 3-1 triumph over Bayer Leverkusen - who then returned the compliment with a first-time chip back into the path of his captain.

Shearer first controlled by chesting the pass down, then flicking a deft ball into towards Dyer who steadied himself before driving home a powerful shot beyond Paul Robinson.

Leeds, though, should have equalised three minutes later when Titus Bramble's attempted ball downfield struck Alan Smith, deflecting kindly into the path of Harry Kewell.

The Australia international rounded Given and looked poised to score, but the angle had become acute, with Kewell's eventual shot striking Andy Griffin - in for the suspended Olivier Bernard - who had backtracked to cover his beaten keeper.

But then within nine minutes of the restart the game was all over, initially with Shearer and Bellamy combining again, and this time it was the latter who set up Dyer.

The 24-year-old took advantage of Michael Duberry's hesitancy to lash a 15-yard right-foot curler into the bottom corner of Robinson's net.

In the 54th minute it was 3-0 as Robert, picking himself after a challenge by Danny Mills, curled in the following left-wing free kick for Shearer to head home his 18th goal of the season, and 15th in the Premiership, as he stole in front of a static Duberry.

Kewell had the chance of a consolation, but was first denied by a superb reflex save from Given before firing the rebound into the sidenetting.

At the end, though, it was Newcastle who continued to pour forward and but for a linesman's flag denying Shearer and Robinson keeping Shola Ameobi at bay, Leeds could have been on the end of a mauling.

This was hardly the tonic Venables would have wanted as he was forced to sit out this match due to a bout of the flu which had kept him away from the training ground all week.

Teams

Leeds Robinson, Mills, Radebe (Lucic 72), Duberry, Bravo, Kelly, Okon (Barmby 70), Seth Johnson, Wilcox (Milner 45), Kewell, Smith.

Subs Not Used: artyn, Harte.

Newcastle Given, Griffin (Dabizas 86), O'Brien, Bramble, Hughes, Kerr (Ameobi 81), Dyer (Acuna 81), Speed, Robert, Shearer, Bellamy.

Subs Not Used: Caig, Chopra.

Goals: Dyer 17, 48, Shearer 54.

Att: 40,025

Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).