NEWCASTLE

The PGMOL, the body responsible for refereeing all Premier League matches, has been approached for comment.

Newcastle were 2-1 up at the time, but Chelsea forward Joao Pedro equalised midway through the second half after a slip by Malick Thiaw.

No team have thrown away more points – 13 – from winning positions in the Premier League this season than Newcastle.

They are 11th in the table, have won only once away from home and travel to Manchester United on 26 December.

“My glass is very much half full,” said Howe. “I know everyone else might have a different opinion, but I feel we’re improving.

“We have been moving in the right direction, but we have got lots of work to do to be the team that we ultimately want to be and that’s consistently winning.

“That’s what’s eluded us this season – the ability to put winning runs together, which is the defining thing we need to do.”

Newcastle: Grayson, Spencer, Hearle, Arnold, Obatoyinbo, Connon, Benitez Cruz; Brocklebank, McGuigan (c), McCallum, Usher, de Chaves, Leatherbarrow, Christie, Mafi.

Replacements: Fletcher, Hancock, Palframan, Baker, Gordon, Elliott, Chamberlain, Clark.

Sin-bin: Arnold (52).

Bath: van Wyk, Frost, Griffin, Richards, Molony, Bayliss, Staddon, Reid (c), Carr-Smith, Carreras, Hennessey, Butt, Harris, Cokanasiga, de Glanville.

Replacements: Dunn, Obano, du Toit, Hill, Underhill, Spencer, Redpath, Barbeary.

Referee: Hamish Smales.

Yet Newcastle found a way to climb it.

Following some strong words at half-time, the visitors rallied after the break and won a penalty courtesy of Nick Woltemade aggressively pressing Leverkusen goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

And after equalising from the spot, Gordon then went on to set up substitute Lewis Miley’s header to put Newcastle in front.

However, another familiar issue reared its head.

Despite taking the lead in the 74th minute, Newcastle were unable to see out the game.

This side have dropped more points from winning positions – 11 – than any other team in the Premier League.

They have failed to win four of their past five away games in all competitions despite taking the lead in all of them at some stage.

Newcastle may have hit the upright through substitute Jacob Murphy after going in front, but Howe’s side began to drop deep against Leverkusen late on, consciously or not.

And Grimaldo’s clever dummy took Newcastle’s midfield out of the game before Leverkusen’s talisman levelled.

It was a familiar story for Howe.

“I don’t think it’s ever a case of sitting back and absorbing pressure,” the Newcastle head coach said.

“That’s not number one in our aim, but you need to do whatever it takes to win. Sometimes that is par for the course, that’s what you have to do.”

Newcastle remain on course for at least a play-off spot and are only a couple of points off the automatic qualification places for the last 16.

But Howe’s team cannot afford to let history repeat itself when they host a PSV side who are starting to hit form, on 21 January, before a trip to the Parc des Princes to take on holders Paris St-Germain a week later.

“We have it all to prove,” Howe added. “The two games we have are very difficult games but I believe in the group. Wherever we go, if we’re near our best, we can win.”