Alan Shearer relives ‘magical’ Newcastle United 4-4 Arsenal comeback on MOTD podcast

Alan Shearer has named Newcastle United's magnificent Arsenal comeback in 2011 as the second-best ever in Premier League history.

The Magpies legend, who has just had Newcastle's Nine bar change name in honour of his career, was speaking as part of the Match of the Day: Top 10 series.

On the show, Shearer is joined by Gary Lineker and Micah Richards to reminisce on the league's best teams, players and moments.

The latest episode saw the pundits pick their favourite ever comeback stories and both Shearer and Richards agreed on what should be in second place.

That is, of course, the remarkable day in 2011 when Alan Pardew's side stunned a swaggering Arsenal led by Arsene Wenger.

That match was only beaten in the standings by Manchester City's infamous title-winning 3-2 win over Queens Park Rangers in May 2012.

Speaking on that unforgettable day on Tyneside, Alan Shearer said: "If it wasn't for the importance of the Man City vs QPR one, then this would have been number one.

"4-0 down getting back to 4-4 and Tiote, who is obviously no longer with us, that was his only goal in a Newcastle shirt.

"That was very special and lives high in the memory of all of Newcastle fans, and rightly so."

Gary Lineker agreed with Shearer and added: "It's magical when the crowd starts to believe there is a comeback coming."

The day began miserably for mid-table Newcastle as the Gunners started quickly.

Theo Walcott netted the opening goal just after a minute to stun St. James' Park.

Just two minutes later Johan Djourou had doubled that lead.

By the tenth minute, the prolific Robin Van Persie had added a third, and then a fourth in the 26th minute.

Newcastle managed to plug the hole in their defence and closed out the half at 4-0 but looked down and out.

The changing moment in the game came in the 50th minute when Arsenal's Vassiriki Diaby saw red.

Shortly after, Newcastle were awarded a penalty for a clumsy Laurent Koscielny challenge on Leon Best, which Joey Barton converted.

Even with their tails up, it still seemed a long way back to salvage a point for Newcastle, but hopes were heightened again as Best found the net after meeting a cross in the 75th minute.

Barton struck from the spot again following another Koscielny foul and with seven minutes to play, Newcastle had reduced the deficit to just one.

What happened next is a moment written in Tyneside folklore, as a header out from a Newcastle corner bounced to the feet of midfielder Cheik Tiote lurking outside the box.

Tiote, who tragically died of a cardiac arrest in 2017 at the age of 30, rifled the ball past Wojciech Szczesny in the Arsenal net to secure a point and send St. James' Park into delirium.