Paulo Wanchope's second-half winner broke the crushing anxiety at Eastlands to take Manchester City to the brink of Barclaycard Premiership survival.
The Costa Rican striker, so often an enigmatic presence in the Blues squad, finally produced when it mattered, rising highest to guide Nicolas Anelka's cross past Shay Given to give City only their third win in 25 league games.
It was Wanchope's third goal of the campaign and the Blues' fourth win on home soil but the only statistic that really matters is that Leeds now require seven points from their remaining three games - including a last-day trip to Chelsea - to have a chance of clambering to safety.
Given recent events, the task looks an impossible one which means that Kevin Keegan will have another chance to sort his sorry bunch of under-performers into the top-flight force he believes them to be.
City have now defeated three of the top six on home soil and drawn with Liverpool, so as they made their way to the exits, the jubilant and loyal Blues support must be wondering how they ended up in such trouble in the first place.
As for Newcastle, shorn of half a dozen key men, their Champions League dream now rests in Sir Bobby Robson's ability to raise spirits amongst a squad whose energy levels look non-existent.
Certainly on this evidence, there will be few Magpies flying to France with any degree of optimism for Thursday's UEFA Cup semi-final return with Marseille.
Yet if Wanchope was the eventual hero for the hosts, David James will gain a well deserved pat on the back from Keegan as well.
Having suffered the trauma of relegation only 12 months ago with a West Ham side who had long been given that most unfortunate of tags 'too good to go down' James was clearly in no mood to endure a similar fate this season.
Without the England 'keeper's recent penalty saves against Wolves and Leicester, cash-strapped City would be in a terrible state and they did not have to wait long for another reason to offer thanks for James' presence in their
goal.
Only 48 seconds were on the clock when Laurent Robert lined up a 30-yard free-kick after Richard Dunne had dumped Alan Shearer on his backside.
Returning centre-half Titus Bramble anticipated the fizzing shot and, having advanced beyond the home defence, touched it towards the corner, only for James to turn it round the post with a brilliant low one-handed save.
Even with so many injuries, the Magpies dominated the opening stages and it took City 10 minutes just to get out of their own half.
For all the footballing philosophies espoused by both managers, it was pure route one which fashioned the Magpies' second great chance, Shearer flicking on Given's deep clearance, straight into the path of Shola Ameobi.
The England Under-21 international had Sylvain Distin at his back but still managed to get power into his shot, only for James to keep it out with a brave block.
James produced another good stop to deny Ambrose, who exchanged passes with Ameobi as Newcastle broke quickly.
By then though, Given had also proved his worth, turning away Dunne's blistering header from Michael Tarnat's corner.
While that turned out to be City's only effort on goal during the opening 45 minutes, their efforts were far improved on those produced in the recent home games with Wolves and Southampton, a fact acknowledged by the home fans, who offered warm support as they left the field.
Encouraged by the sweat produced in the opening stages of the second period, the long-suffering Blues faithful lifted the decibel level even higher and if there had been a roof on their Eastlands home, it would have come off as they celebrated Wanchope's all-important opener.
Sun Jihai had been given a torrid afternoon by Robert but the China international showed impressive speed of thought to transfer the ball up field when Darren Ambrose lost possession inside the visitors' half.
Hugging the right touchline, Anelka finally showed some spark, cutting inside Bramble, then delivering the cross which O'Brien missed but, thankfully for the hosts, Wanchope did not as he guided his header past Given.
With a full strength squad, Newcastle would have fancied their chances of pulling the deficit back.
But with Kieron Dyer, Jermaine Jenas, Jonathan Woodgate, Andy Griffin, Craig Bellamy and Lee Bowyer consigned to the stands, they had neither the energy nor personnel to fight back.
Indeed, had it not been for Given, the damage could have been even worse as the Republic of Ireland 'keeper produced fine late saves to deny Paul Bosvelt and Wanchope.
Teams
Man City James, Jihai, Distin, Dunne, Tarnat, Wright-Phillips,
Barton, Bosvelt, Sinclair (Reyna 71), Anelka,
Wanchope (Macken 90).
Subs Not Used: Arason, Fowler, Sibierski.
Booked: Bosvelt.
Goals: Wanchope 59.
Newcastle Given, Hughes, O'Brien, Bramble, Bernard,
Ambrose (Chopra 86), Speed, Viana, Robert (Brittain 74),
Shearer, Ameobi (Bridges 86).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Taylor.
Booked: Speed.
Att: 47,226
Ref: M Halsey (Lancashire).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook