BRUNO GUIMARAES was the toast of the Toon after scoring a dramatic late winner to see off Leicester.
The Brazilian midfielder was already on his way to hero status on Tyneside after a stunning start to life in Newcastle following his January switch from Lyon.
Guimaraes' first goal, an outrageous flick at Southampton last month, had Newcastle fans drooling over what could be.
But his first two goals at St James’ Park, with the second virtually the last kick of the game, had the Toon Army absolutely bouncing towards the Bigg Market for an Easter Sunday afterparty.
The game was heading for a bore draw in the dying moments of injury time until sub Joe Willock sprung on the break down the left.
His deflected cross popped up perfectly for the onrushing Bruno, who headed home to send St James’ wild.
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Ademola Lookman had put the Foxes ahead in the first half with a brilliant goal from a corner before Bruno bagged his first from a set-piece soon after.
Miguel Almiron coming in for injured winger Ryan Fraser was Newcastle’s only change, while only three – Kasper Schmeichel, Youri Tielemans and Kieran Dewsbury-Hall – survived for Leicester after beating PSV in the Conference League.
Centre-back Wesley Fofana was a glaring omission from the squad, while ex-Toon forward Perez started his first Prem game since Boxing Day.
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The Mags had the better of a low-key start but collectively dozed off after 19 minutes in the sunshine to hand the Foxes the lead.
Rodgers’ side can’t defend set-pieces for toffee – but this was an ingenious move straight out of the playbook.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s whipped corner to Perez at the near post sucked the Toon defence in with it and his cheeky flick did them all ends up.
Lookman inexplicably found himself in acres of space 12 yards out, and he hit it low first time, squirming it under Martin Dubravka for his sixth league goal of the campaign.
Eleven minutes later and Newcastle were level thanks to Leicester’s sheer inability to defend corners.
Schmeichel was the major culprit this time, somehow failing to grasp the simplest of balls.
Chris Wood knocked Jonjo Shelvey’s corner into Bruno’s path, who just got a toe on it before Schmeichel looked to have smothered it.
The Brazilian then bundled it into the net but ref Jarred Gillett ruled it out, thinking the Dane had the ball safely in his hands.
However, replays showed it was a shocker from Schmeichel with the ball awkwardly trapped between his legs before Bruno forced it over the line.
Gillett went over to his monitor and the goal was rightly given, sending St James’ Park into raptures.
The Foxes took charge after the break with only some desperate last-ditch defending keeping them at bay.
Toon were dangerous on the counter but usual livewire Allan Saint-Maximin is completely off the boil right now and saw so many promising situations fall flat at his feet.
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But when magic man Saint-Maximin isn’t on it, at least now they have Bruno.
And it was his header after Willock’s brilliant break which broke Leicester hearts and all but guaranteed survival for Newcastle.
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