Super-sub Harvey Barnes saves Newcastle! Winger scores twice to avoid West Brom shocker after £52m Nico Gonzalez unveiling

The atmosphere at a sold-out St James' Park was electric before a ball had even been kicked, as the Newcastle faithful welcomed their newest star. Gonzalez, the Argentine forward who recently completed a high-profile £52m move from Manchester City, was presented to the crowd in a show of ambition from the club's ownership.

The home support were left absolutely stunned in the 19th minute when West Brom forward Isaac Price opened the scoring against the 2025 cup winners with a clever free-kick that left the stadium in silence.

Despite the early setback, Newcastle pulled themselves back on level terms in the 38th minute shortly before the break. Amar Dedic provided the breakthrough with a precise delivery into the box, allowing Bazoumana Toure to ghost between West Brom defenders Chris Mepham and Alex Williams. The £43m summer arrival from Hoffenheim made no mistake, marking his competitive debut with an emphatic finish.

A half-time substitution proved decisive as Barnes replaced debutant goalscorer Toure to reshape the second half. The former Leicester City winger made an instant impact in the 48th minute, injecting directness into Newcastle's attack before racing into the box to lash home a loose ball after West Brom failed to properly clear his initial long-range effort.

West Brom refused to go down quietly and were awarded a lifeline when Harry Whitwell's cross struck Lewis Hall's hand inside the area, leaving the referee with little choice but to point to the spot.

Price stepped up in the 77th minute to coolly send Ewen Jaouen the wrong way for his second goal of the night, setting up a frantic final stretch. With the scores locked at 2-2, the looming threat of a penalty shootout hung over St James' Park as the visitors dropped deep to safeguard their chances of a cup upset.

Just as a nerve-wracking shootout seemed inevitable, Barnes delivered the decisive blow in the 81st minute by turning in Dedic's invitation of a cross. Timing his run to perfection, the England international applied a clinical finish to secure Newcastle's place in the last 32 and send the Gallowgate End into sheer delirium.