Tiote stuns Gunners

Cheik Tiote smashed home a superb late volley as Newcastle produced a stunning comeback to earn a 4-4 draw with 10-man Arsenal at St James' Park.

The Gunners led 4-0 after just 24 minutes after Theo Walcott, Johan Djourou and a Robin van Persie double left the Magpies reeling.

But after Abou Diaby had been sent off with 48 minutes gone, two Joey Barton penalties, a Leon Best strike and Tiote's superb 87th-minute equaliser rescued a point for the home side.

Walcott had scored twice in a 4-0 Carling Cup victory on Tyneside in October, and he needed only 42 seconds to increase his tally as he ran on to Andrey Arshavin's pass and slid the ball past Steve Harper with Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson trailing in his wake.

There were less than three minutes on the clock when Djourou was inexplicably allowed to meet an Arshavin free-kick seven yards out, and his header flew in off the underside of the crossbar.

When Van Persie fired home a third goal from Walcott's cross in the 10th minute, a packed house settled down for what looked certain to be an agonising remaining 80 minutes.

Arsenal increased their lead with 26 minutes gone when Van Persie headed Bacary Sagna's cross home, and it came as a surprise that the scoreline remained at 4-0 when the half-time whistle handed the Magpies brief respite.

But the cracks started to appear after Diaby over-reacted to Barton's rugged challenge and pushed him to the ground to earn an inevitable red card. With 68 minutes gone, after Laurent Koscielny had brought down Best inside the box, Barton converted from the penalty spot to give the Toon Army some hope.

Alarm bells started ringing for the Gunners when Best struck from close range with 15 minutes remaining, and when Barton drilled home a second penalty with seven minutes to play, a point was there for the taking.

Tiote saved the best for last when he lashed an 87th-minute left-footed volley into the bottom left corner to complete a remarkable repair job.