Christian Atsu opened the scoring early on for Newcastle at St. James’ Park, dispatching Matt Ritchie’s cross from close range to give the hosts a lead they held until half time.

But the Potters responded, equalising through Xherdan Shaqiri’s low strike just over ten minutes after the break.

It was left to skipper Lascelles to secure the three points for the Magpies, who rose to crash home a header off the underside of the bar and seal a third Premier League win in succession for Rafa Benítez’s side.

After a cagey opening quarter of an hour, United found a breakthrough. Ayoze Perez made space for Mikel Merino, who fed Isaac Hayden, who played in Ritchie on the left. The Scotland international’s enticing inswinging centre was coolly dispatched by Atsu, arriving at the back post to tuck home from close range.

The hosts could have gone two up just a few minutes later, as Lascelles glanced a Ritchie corner just wide of the upright.

At the other end, Rob Elliot was called into action for the first time by Shaqiri, whose fierce, swerving strike required a firm hand from the Republic of Ireland stopper, who stretched to palmed it round the post.

That was just a brief scare for the hosts, though, as Joselu – who joined United from Stoke exactly one month ago – twice went close to adding a second, dragging wide from Chancel Mbemba’s lofted pass before poking straight at Jack Butland when the ball fell kindly for him in the box.

Barely 20 seconds after the restart, the Spaniard squandered another opportunity. Atsu’s cross from the left evaded Wimmer and Joselu was able to control it, but fired over the Gallowgate End goal with his second touch.

And Benítez’s men were made to pay when Shaqiri pegged them back four minutes before the hour mark. The Swiss playmaker picked up Joe Allen’s pass and curled a low shot beyond Elliot from outside the box to give the Potters a leveller against the run of play.

The equaliser appeared to lift Stoke, who found some attacking fluency in the minutes after their goal. United were again indebted to Elliot, who dived to his right to palm away Mame Biram Diouf’s header and keep the hosts on level terms.

But the Magpies dug in, and regained the lead thanks to captain Lascelles. He rose to power home a Ritchie corner from the right, beating Butland with a header which found the back of the net via the crossbar to a 51,793-strong St. James’ Park crowd wild.

There was a late chance for Stoke, but Diouf couldn't direct Erik Pieters' cross on target and United held on to claim the victory.