City were falling in Newcastle based on great goals. Five saw. Five worth a ticket at Saint James’ Park, even if the locals lost. City, which had taken the lead thanks to a spectacular backheel by Bernardo Silva, had had to give in due to the Magpies’ impressive counterattack. Isak and Gordon had called and doubled the bet with two big screw shots.
The locals won two great goals to one. Saint James’ Park promised them happiness and enjoyment until Kevin de Bruyne came onto the pitch. The Belgian genius provided the clarity that City lacked to lead them to victory. He had reappeared in the Cup against Huddersfield with the match already resolved. On his return to the Premier he was what he is: a decisive player. He scored the equalizing goal and gave Bobb the winning goal with two trademark plays.
The game started off badly for City, who lost their goalkeeper in almost the first action of the game. It was the first of dozens of counterattacks that Newcastle launched. Trippier looked to uncheck behind Isak’s defense and the Swede stood in the area, where he gave way for Longstaff to push into the net. The play was invalidated due to offside by the former Real player. But Ederson got the worst of it when he collided with his teammate Walker while trying to prevent the goal.
The Brazilian goalkeeper wanted to continue with a bandage on his left leg, his good one, but they soon realized that he couldn’t even hit the ball. That almost cost him 1-0 because a clearance crashed into Almirón. Neither the Paraguayan nor Guimarães were clear about beating City.
The replacement by Ortega was a no-brainer. Guardiola’s men were not too affected by the change between the sticks as Rodrigo found it easy for Doku, Foden and especially Bernardo Silva. City always combined from below, to avoid Newcastle’s central giants, who were lost before their rival’s passing speed.
It seemed impossible to enter that area and instead City, like mice, sneaked in again and again. Until Silva pulled a dancer’s genius out of his hat to score. Walker crossed from the right and the Portuguese, at a physical disadvantage, left everyone with a hand’s breadth to score with a backheel with Botman.
A great goal that was replicated. And not one, but two. In two quick and almost consecutive counterattacks, Newcastle took the lead, creating panic in the citizen defender. Guimarães found Isak over the top, who cut back Walker in front and sent a parabola into the net. Almost immediately, Gordon crossed half the field to stand in the area and cross with a thread similar to his teammate. The two goals were impossible for Ortega, who saved the third in a one-on-one from Isak.
After the break, City did not stop trying but Julián Álvarez was not inspired. For this reason, Guardiola turned to Kevin de Bruyne in the 69th minute to unblock his team. And the Belgian, who was injured on the first day at Burnley’s field in August, took five minutes to fix the mess. He did it with one of his shots from outside the area low to the base of the goal. Impossible for Dubravka, who was being the hero.
It was his first official goal since May 9, at the Bernabéu, in the Champions League semi-final. In the Premier he had not scored since April, almost nine months ago, with a double against Arsenal. Newcastle were not knocked down by two goals from the Belgian but they were knocked down by a goal and an assist. Already with the 90th minute completed, De Bruyne raised his head and sent a pass into space, over Trippier, and in the absence of Haaland, who is still injured, another young Norwegian, Oscar Bobb, picked up the ball in the small area and dribbled to the goalkeeper with a croquette to score almost into an empty goal. Another great goal, the fifth of the afternoon. The beauty was next to City (sixth victory in a row, including the Club World Cup) and De Bruyne.
