- Bernardo Silva opened the scoring moments before Alexander Isak equalised
- Five-goal thriller saw Kevin De Bruyne score and assist on his return
- Newcastle's summer signings haven't worked. It's mad to talk about them as an established top-four side... sixth is about right - It's All Kicking Off
Eddie Howe was right. FFP does keep the likes of Manchester City ahead of Newcastle. Namely, Fantastic Football Players. And namely, Kevin de Bruyne, scorer of his side’s equaliser and creator of their injury-time winner for fellow substitute Oscar Bobb.
How City needed their fit-again talisman to snatch victory from a game in which they had lost a lead and control. That is why Pep Guardiola turned to the Belgian, the ultimate exponent of control, class and composure. His manager later said De Bruyne moves ‘where his guts feel’. Well, he kicked Newcastle in theirs here.
On an away day that was in danger of going wrong for City, De Bruyne’s arrival was a timely home comfort. Within five minutes of his second-half introduction - his first appearance since August - he scored the sort of goal only he can score.
It was always going to take an act of ingenuity to break Newcastle’s resistance, who were ahead thanks to a quick-fire double from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon before half-time, reversing Bernardo Silva’s outrageous opener.
Just days after Newcastle’s hierarchy and Howe had bemoaned Financial Fair Play as the reason they are, for now, unable to compete with the likes of City, they were headed for a victory that would have been deserved for its spirit and superb finishes.
But then De Bruyne had one of his own to add to that collection. It was more like an assist, really. He strode forward and, from 20 yards, passed the ball through the legs of defender Fabian Schar and into the bottom corner.
De Bruyne, it should be noted, is back with a new look - often likened to Home Alone character Buzz, this floppy hair makes him more Kevin McCallister - but here was the same old superstar, even after five months out with a hamstring injury.
He was not done with his equaliser, either. In the third minute of stoppage-time, he landed a pass onto the boot of Bobb in the six-yard area. The Norwegian did not have to break stride as he skipped around Martin Dubravka before rolling his first Premier League goal. It was a fitting finish to a brilliant game, and the brilliance of De Bruyne was the difference.
‘You just hope he’s rusty and not up to full speed,’ said Howe. ‘Nope.’
This was four league defeats on the spin for the first time under Howe, but the performance was unrecognisable from the previous three. They were undone by a player returning to fitness and the fact too many of theirs are far from it.
Injuries numbering double figures meant Newcastle’s bench was arguably the weakest it has been all season. Two goalkeepers, three kids, four full-backs.
The player Howe wants to strengthen his team was, as misfortune would have it, unused on City’s bench. Kalvin Phillips would have been a fine option in protecting their lead after half-time.
It is little wonder Phillips cannot get in City’s team. Not when you see the imperious Rodri, beaten only to star-man honours by De Bruyne. The Spaniard looks like a dad playing in the garden with his kids at times. It was his pass to set up De Bruyne’s goal.
But Rodri and De Bruyne were not alone in illuminating a grey night on Tyneside. This was end to end and side to side, an Oil Classico rich on talent and entertainment.
There was drama from the off. City goalkeeper Ederson was forced off inside eight minutes. He played on after injuring his knee trying to keep out a disallowed Newcastle goal after just 90 seconds, colliding with Kyle Walker as Sean Longstaff turned in from an Isak cross. The provider, though, was offside.
But when Ederson then almost gifted a legitimate goal to the hosts, he very quickly waved to be replaced. His wave towards the dugout was not as frantic as those of his team-mates, who did not fancy defending a goal with a keeper on one leg.
Come half-time, Walker had added insult to his injury of Ederson by failing to protect Stefan Ortega for both of Newcastle’s goals.
Before that he laid on the opener for Silva, whose back-heel flick from inside the goalmouth was sublime. But Walker will not want to see replays of Newcastle’s three-minute double. Isak and Gordon will.
The first, on 35 minutes, came after Bruno Guimaraes swept a ball of imagination and precision behind City’s backline for Isak to chase.
Walker was the only obstacle between the Swede and City’s goal and he negotiated the England defender with ease, dropping a shoulder before dropping the ball into the far corner from 18 yards.
Gordon soon made it look just as easy from similar range, stepping inside Walker and finding the same square of net that Isak had only just rippled.
City were stunned and Walker looked in a daze, much like he had done in defending the goals. Guardiola shook his head in disbelief. His confusion was understandable, given City were excellent to that point.
He eventually called for De Bruyne in the 69th minute and there was a mock cheer from the home fans when the apparent saviour’s first contribution was to crash a free-kick into the wall.
De Bruyne, however, had the last laugh.
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2024-01-13 19:42:05Z
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