Though the Royals were quick out of the traps, United had by far the better of the opening period, Jonjo Shelvey twice going close before Matt Ritchie hit the woodwork.

The two sides largely cancelled each other out after the interval, though, as the Magpies saw their lead at the top of the table cut to three points following Brighton & Hove Albion’s win over Rotherham United.

Though it did not set the tone for what was to follow, Jaap Stam’s charges should have taken the lead less than 50 seconds in. After checking inside, Gareth McCleary delivered an inviting ball from the left, which took a nick before being headed wide by Lewis Grabban just six yards out.

United’s first opportunity of the evening fell to Yoan Gouffran, who flung himself at a Paul Dummett cross from the left, only for Reading ‘keeper Ali Al-Habsi to smother at the second attempt.

Just shy of the quarter-of-an-hour mark, Shelvey and Daryl Murphy played a neat one-two on the edge of the penalty area, and the former saw a stinging drive parried by Al-Habsi.

Al-Habsi was forced into action again with 32 minutes on the clock, pushing Gouffran’s effort wide after defender Paul McShane had tried to play out from the back.

Newcastle continued to look the more threatening as the interval drew closer. Shelvey’s goal-bound strike clipped the Royals’ Liam Moore before rolling out for a corner, and – just seconds later - Ritchie superbly made room for a shot 20 yards out, only for the ball to come back off the far post.

Ritchie took aim again before the break, but Omani stopper Al-Habsi was equal to the winger’s low-struck effort.

Reading started the second half much like they did the first, coming close within a minute of the whistle. After receiving the ball 20 yards out, McCleary produced a smart turn before seeing a deflected effort fly narrowly wide of the far post.

Yann Kermorgant met the resultant corner, but could only steer a right-footed effort straight at Karl Darlow.

On the hour-mark, Shelvey picked out Ayoze Perez’s run with a quickly-taken free-kick, and the Spaniard drilled into the side-netting from a tight angle. However, the linesman’s flag was raised in any case.

Midway through the half, Murphy almost opened the scoring after connecting with Dummett’s enticing ball from the left, but – again – Al-Habsi held firm.

At the other end, McCleary saw another deflected strike drop just off-target after finding a pocket of space 25 yards out.

With the clock ticking, leading goalscorer Dwight Gayle entered the fray for Newcastle. Two minutes into added time, Ritchie pounced on a loose ball just outside the area, but his low-struck effort deflected wide.

There was still one moment of panic for United to withstand. In the dying embers, McCleary powered into the box from the left flank, and the winger's cross-come-shot shaved the bar before dropping out of play.