The result left Newcastle 18th on two points and piled more pressure on manager Steve Bruce while Leeds are 16th on three points after missing a string of chances in an action-packed first half.

Raphinha fired Leeds ahead in the 13th minute when his cross from the left beat home 'keeper Karl Darlow at the far post after Rodrigo's clever dummy left the goalkeeper stranded.

But Allan Saint-Maximin levelled for the home side in the 44th.

The equaliser was a fine individual effort as the Frenchman found space on the edge of the penalty area by side-stepping three markers before drilling a crisp low shot into the far corner.

Between the goals Darlow pulled off a string of saves and Leeds were guilty of some wayward finishing.

At the other end Matt Ritchie hit the post while visiting goalkeeper Illan Meslier also kept out a Joelinton sitter.

Darlow spared Jamaal Lascelles the blushes of scoring an own goal in the 52nd minute before Meslier twice denied Saint-Maximin as the Newcastle forward continued to be a threat in the closing stages.

Saint-Maximin was not happy with the outcome.

"We are really disappointed tonight because the team gave everything to win this game," he told Sky Sports.

"We knew we needed a win to start the season, so we just have to keep going and work hard."

Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa rued his team's lack of killer instinct in front of goal and conceded he was concerned with their poor start.

"Yes, of course (going five games without a win) worries me," the Argentine said.

"We had sufficient chances to go in at the break with a bigger margin but we didn't score in proportion to the amount of chances we created.

"We were missing some efficiency and capitalising on the chances that we had. We had a lot of possession, perhaps we could have created even more danger especially in the second half."

Australian Associated Press