Manchester City showed their Championship resolve when they came from two goals down to salvage a 3-3 draw in an action-packed game at Newcastle.
City had won 27 of their previous 28 games when they scored first but, after Ilkay Gundogan’s first opener, that record looked in danger as they fell 3-1 behind thanks to a display of intensity and an attacking intent described as a “brilliant response” by Eddie Howe.
Allan Saint-Maximin bagged all three of Newcastle’s goals as City failed to cope with the winger’s pace and power, first-time cross for Miguel Almiron to equalize with a header that was initially ruled out by offside before a VAR intervention.
After a surging run, Saint-Maximin found Callum Wilson for the second, with the forward beating Ruben Dias before firing past Ederson. Kieran Trippier rolled in a third with a stunning free-kick after Saint-Maximin had been fouled by John Stones.
But City, unbeaten in the Premier League since February, were not going to go down without a fight and were given a lifeline when Erling Haaland fired home from a corner, before Bernardo Silva finished with a brilliant finish from Kevin De Bruyne to level things. again.
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Bernardo Silva equalizes for Manchester City after a direct pass from Kevin De Bruyne.
The drama wasn’t limited to the goals, with Trippier red carded by referee Jarred Gillett for a heavy challenge on De Bruyne, but VAR intervened again and the decision was downgraded to a booking, and none of the two teams was able to find another breakthrough at the end. as a vibrant match at St James’ Park ended in a draw.
“It was an incredible game, a rollercoaster of emotions during the game,” Howe told Sky Sports after the game. “We go to zero and it’s the worst possible start against this team because then you have to chase the game and potentially leave spaces open, but the players responded brilliantly.
“We scored some great goals, I was absolutely delighted with the effort and commitment, with everything the players gave. I’m sure for the neutral it was an amazing game, for us as managers you were shattered because we were 3-1 and you. We are desperate to win but we needed something from the game and I think the players deserved it.”
Player ratings
Newcastle: Pope (8), Trippier (7), Schar (6), Botman (5), Burn (6), Guimaraes (7), Joelinton (7), Willock (7), Almiron (7), Wilson (7), Saint-Maximin (9).
Subs: Wood (6), Longstaff (6), Murphy, Krafth (n/a).
Manchester City: Ederson (6), Walker (5), Stones (5), Ake (6), Cancelo (7), Gungodan (7), Rodri (7), De Bruyne (8), Foden (6), Haaland (7) , Silver (7).
Subs:Days (5).
Player of the Match: Allain Saint-Maximin.
How Newcastle came so close to beating Man City
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Ilkay Gundogan was left unmarked by Newcastle’s defence, allowing them to fire Manchester City into an early lead at St James’ Park.
Eddie Howe admitted before the game that his side’s attacking intent could leave holes at the back and City dealt them an early blow when Gundogan was left unmarked to clear Silva’s cross and beat Nick Pope with his second touch.
But that mentality would serve Newcastle better as the game wore on, with their fluid counter-attacks picking City apart at will once they found their stride.
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Miguel Almiron’s equalizer for Newcastle can stand after VAR overturned the initial offside call.
Saint-Maximin had Rodri and Kyle Walker on him in the build-up to the home side’s equaliser, but he beat them both before crossing for Almiron to glance home at the back post.
An offside flag cut short the Paraguayan’s celebrations, but a VAR review ruled it right in the game and put St James’ Park on their feet.
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Callum Wilson completes Newcastle’s first-half turnaround to put them 2-1 up.
Wilson’s second also owed much to the Frenchman’s direct run, turning inside Walker and driving forward before feeding the striker, whose excellent first touch took him away from Dias before firing wide of the exposed Ederson.
Newcastle’s half-time lead was deserved but felt tenuous, until Trippier doubled their lead with a free-kick reminiscent of his World Cup strike against Croatia in 2018, again after a race of Saint-Maximin.
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Kieran Trippier curls in a stunning free-kick to make it 3-1 to Newcastle.
Haaland, who had earlier been denied by a stunning save from Pope to tip a shot onto the post, would put City back into the game six minutes later when a corner was kept alive at the back post.
A touch of class from De Bruyne put the next twist on a roller-coaster afternoon, picking out Silva in the box with a pinpoint pass from deep for the equaliser.
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Erling Haaland finishes from close range to bring Manchester City back into the game and make it 3-2.
Trippier was shown a straight red card for a trip on the Belgian’s knee that threatened to swing the game in City’s favor until Gillett visited the pitch monitor and awarded him a yellow.
After that moment of redemption, Newcastle held firm to secure an impressive point against the Premier League champions and continue their own unbeaten start in the process.
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Kieran Tripper’s red card is downgraded to yellow after the VAR took a look at his foul on Kevin De Bruyne.
Analysis: Two points down, but positive all around
Sky Sports’ Ron Walker:
“On the one hand, both Newcastle and Manchester City had different reasons to be disappointed to draw at St James’ Park when at different points all three would have been expected.
“But on the other hand, there were positives for both sides of a memorable game for the neutral as both teams showed their technical and mental qualities throughout the 90 minutes.
“There’s a reason why City came into the game with 27 wins from their previous 28 games when they scored first. Once they go in front, they don’t take their foot off the gas. A lot of teams crumble under pressure, but Newcastle held strong afterwards.Ilkay Gundogan’s opener in the fifth minute.
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Nick Pope stops Erling Haaland one-on-one to prevent Manchester City from empathising.
“They stuck to the positive game plan that Eddie Howe had promised before kick-off, didn’t allow Manchester City to dictate the game and instead completed a deserved first-half turnaround with a display of football of clinical but excellent counter-attacking.
“The faces of Kieran Trippier and Allain Saint-Maximin showed their disappointment at the result when they spoke to Sky Sports after the game, but in the cold light of day, Newcastle will reflect on an excellent performance when they made the most of its qualities against a technically superior side.
“City, while there will be concerns about Newcastle’s first-half dominance in midfield, are well aware of the dangers of their style on the break, and Pep Guardiola will not be too worried.
“He will be impressed, though again not surprised, at how they overcame an important early-season test, however, fighting to regain momentum at a sloppy St James’ Park to rescue a point.
“With the quality of Erling Haaland’s positioning and runs and Kevin De Bruyne’s form up to par, the first three games have given Pep plenty to be positive about at the Etihad and no team will go through the season without losing points, City are just as much the team to beat as they were at 4.30pm.
“The Pope brings calm to Newcastle”
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