FULL TIME: Manchester City 3-1 Newcastle United
Shelvey caresses a cross into the City box from the left, Gayle heads over when he should work Ederson at the very least, and that’s that! So for the second time in a month, Rafa Benitez’s plan for a rope-a-dope smash-and-grab briefly threatens to bear a little fruit ... but ultimately ends in failure, with the possession stats more damning than the actual scoreline. Newcastle battled hard and showed great discipline, but ultimately City were just too darn good, with Leroy Sane and hat-trick hero Sergio Aguero particularly impressive. Newcastle remain a couple of points above the relegation zone, while City go 12 points clear of Manchester United at the top.
90 min: There will be three added minutes.
88 min: Sane is replaced by Diaz. Meanwhile Newcastle aren’t quite finished: Murphy goes on a Sane-like run down the inside-right channel, reaching the edge of the area with a fine dribble. His shot comes off his own man Shelvey, who then nearly rounds Ederson, on walkabout. But City clear their lines.
87 min: City ping it around the back, with a view to running the clock down.
85 min: Bernardo Silva comes on for Sterling.
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GOAL! Mancheser City 3-1 Newcastle United (Aguero 83)
Sane goes on a Ricky Villa style ramble into the Newcastle box down the left. It’s a stunning dribble. He looks to have been crowded out, but shimmies through three challenges and threads a pass into the centre for Aguero, who takes a touch on the penalty spot and pokes into the bottom right. That’s his 11th hat-trick for City ... and yes, he’s been awarded that first goal, so there are no questions about that!
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82 min: De Bruyne nearly puts it out of Newcastle’s reach, curling a glorious shot towards the bottom right from 20 yards. It’s inches wide of the right-hand post. Darlow wasn’t getting to it.
80 min: Murphy tears down the Newcastle right in acres of space. He’s got Gayle peeling away on the other flank, but can’t pick the pass. He eventually runs out of steam on the edge of the City box. But the visitors are going for it now. Newcastle are - improbably, given the possession stats - very much in this game.
78 min: Clark is booked for hanging out a leg and bringing down De Bruyne in the midfield.
77 min: Gayle comes on for Joselu. Plenty of pace up front for Newcastle now, as they look to test City in the latter stages of this very lop-sided and strange match.
76 min: City win their 17th corner of the evening. From the left, it’s played deep for Silva, who lashes a shot wide right from the edge of the box.
74 min: And now Newcastle are three on three, breaking from a City corner! Perez lets the hosts off the hook with a witless blooter upfield towards Ederson. But the hosts are rocking a little here. A little.
72 min: This game has turned very weird. Newcastle again trouble City, springing into life and attacking from nowhere. Diame snaffles a loose ball down the inside-left and flashes a shot at Ederson from a tight angle. Ederson parries, and should gather the ball, but lets it slip through his arms in the soap-in-shower style. Perez has a shot, then Diame has another go. Ederson rescues the situation at the third attempt.
71 min: City nearly score a picture-perfect goal, pinging triangles down the left. Sane drives a low cross towards Sterling, who hammers a first-time shot towards the bottom right. Darlow turns the effort onto the base of the right-hand post, and then Aguero flashes his hat-trick attempt into the side netting from a tight angle.
69 min: In the City dugout, Pep does that thing where he leans back, takes a slug of water from a bottle, and kids on he doesn’t care. To be fair, it’s still attack versus defence on the pitch, despite Newcastle’s surprise goal.
GOAL! Manchester City 2-1 Newcastle United (Murphy 67)
Er, hold on! This came from absolutely nothing! Joselu hacks a 50-50 ball forward from the centre circle. Suddenly Murphy is tearing free of Zinchenko, the last man! He draws Ederson and dinks a delightful effort over the keeper and into the empty net! Who needs possession, huh?
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66 min: In more deckchair rearrangement news, Yedlin comes on for Manquillo.
64 min: Perez comes on for Atsu. Manchester City have enjoyed 85% possession!
GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle United (Aguero 63 pen)
No question that Aguero’s scored this one! He batters his penalty into the left-hand portion of the net. Darlow got a hand to it, but couldn’t keep it out.
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Penalty to Manchester City!
62 min: City ping it around awhile. Suddenly Sterling turns on the jets down the left. He enters the area, feels Manquillo’s arm weighing heavily on his back, and goes down. The ref points to the spot.
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61 min: The corner leads to another corner, which leads to nothing.
60 min: Fernandinho wedges a gorgeous pass down the inside-right channel to spring Walker into the area. Walker’s low cross, meant for Aguero in the six-yard box, is bundled out at the near post by Hayden. That’s marvellous play all round.
58 min: This is not much of a spectacle, if we’re being honest with ourselves. Newcastle finally commit a couple of players upfield and nearly pay the price, losing possession and allowing Sterling to attack their suddenly out-of-shape defence down the right. Fortunately for the visitors his cross into the centre towards Aguero is no good.
57 min: De Bruyne whips a cross into the Newcastle box from the right. Sane gets the jump on Manquillo in the middle, but can’t connect with his head, ten yards out. A chance to work Darlow is spurned.
55 min: A loose ball from Murphy allows Sane to pick up possession and run at pace down the inside-left channel. Newcastle are light at the back, but Lascelles comes across to tackle Sane as he enters the box. A perfectly timed challenge that wasn’t without risk.
54 min: Fernandinho and Joselu clatter into each other and go down. The City man had swung his arm into the Newcastle striker’s startled face. Accidentally, it should be stressed. But for some reason it’s Fernandinho who’s come off worse. Very strange. They’re both up and about eventually.
52 min: A lot of possession for City in Newcastle’s final third. But it’s all in front of the box, and the visitors aren’t minded to give up enough space for a shot. Eventually City try to tiki-taka their way through, but once again Sane and Sterling aren’t quite on the same wavelength.
50 min: It’s worked all the way to Sane on the right, who overhits a pass down the flank for Sterling. This half has yet to get going properly.
49 min: Space for Zinchenko down the left. He earns City’s 11th corner off Murphy. Silva to take.
48 min: It’s attack versus defence again all right. Newcastle are quite happy to sit back and hold their shape, with a view to seeing what might happen late on if they can keep it to 1-0.
And we’re off again! After two false starts, Manchester City get the ball rolling for the second 45. No changes. Sterling goes fast at Newcastle, and tries to release Walker down the right with a cheeky backflick. Not quite.
Half-time listening: The likes of Rob Smyth, Lee Calvert, Rob Bagchi, Carrie Dunn, Jacob Steinberg, Gary Naylor, Mike Gibbons and Adam Hurrey going on quite a lot about 1980s and 1990s football? Yes please! Yes please!
HALF TIME: Manchester City 1-0 Newcastle United
So City lead at the break thanks to Sergio Aguero’s header. And it is his goal: the TV folk have got the virtual magnifying glass out, and you can see him flick the ball lightly as it passes him. More attack versus defence coming up!
43 min: Space and time for Fernandinho, 25 yards out. He drags a poor shot wide of the target. Then a rare attack for Newcastle, with Joselu in space down the left. He’s got Atsu in the middle, but his cross is weak and easily intercepted by Otamendi. Newcastle can’t afford to waste good positions like that.
41 min: City stroke the ball around a bit, then suddenly Aguero turns on the jets and attacks Newcastle down the inside-right channel. He flashes a no-backlift shot goalwards, and it’s deflected over by Dummett, who is operating as a one-man wall of defiance right now.
39 min: From the corner on the right, the ball’s worked to De Bruyne, 25 yards out, down the inside-left channel. He shoots for the bottom right. Darlow saves and Dummett bundles the ball out for another corner.
38 min: A sense of relief has washed over the Etihad. Silva rakes a glorious long ball down the right and very nearly releases Aguero into the area. Dummett is forced to step in, head back and concede a corner.
36 min: It’s still attack versus defence, the visitors haven’t changed their gameplan as a result of falling behind. Newcastle haven’t won at Manchester City since the days of Maine Road and Alan Shearer. That run doesn’t look like ending any time soon.
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GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Newcastle United (Aguero 34)
Apologies to Newcastle fans for pointing that out. Because look what’s happened now. De Bruyne cuts in from the left and swishes a cross into the mixer. Aguero eyebrows a gentle header into the bottom right, out of Darlow’s reach. Aguero celebrates, though there’s a suspicion he didn’t get a light brush on that cross, in which case it’s De Bruyne’s goal. But the important thing for City is, they’ve finally broken Newcastle’s brave resistance.
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33 min: De Bruyne strokes a ball down the left for Silva, who earns yet another corner for Manchester City. Silva’s corner fails to beat the first man Joselu. It’s all hands to the pump for Newcastle, but they’re doing a fine number on City so far.
32 min: City get their first shot on target. De Bruyne dribbles across the front of the Newcastle box, left to right, and lays off for Sterling, who cuts back to the left and sends a riser straight at Darlow.
30 min: Sane flicks a ball down the left to release Silva, who is barged in the back by Manquillo. A free kick, just to the left of the Newcastle area. De Bruyne narrows his eyes ... and in looking to curl spectacularly across Darlow and into the top right, blooters harmlessly over.
28 min: Zinchenko shovels a pass down the left for Silva, who squirrels away in the box before looking for Aguero in the middle. Clark reads the play well to intercept and clear. Then another attack, as the ever-influential Silva slips a ball down the left to release Sane. But the winger’s gone too soon, and he’s offside.
25 min: Now De Bruyne powers down the middle, going to ground just outside the Newcastle box under pressure from Shelvey. There was a little bit of contact, but De Bruyne isn’t getting the free kick he’s demanding.
24 min: Sane pushes a pass down the left flank to release Sane, who reaches the byline. His cross is blocked by a sliding Lascelles. De Bruyne tries to revive the move by picking up the loose ball and surging down the same wing, but he runs the ball out of play. An uncharacteristically heavy touch.
22 min: City have made 153 passes so far, Newcastle 24. It’s that kind of game.
21 min: Another wasted corner for City. They’re not quite firing on all cylinders at the moment. The home fans are giving it plenty anyway. There’s a fine atmosphere tonight at the Etihad.
18 min: City get the ball in the net, but the goal’s disallowed. Newcastle launch a rare attack and lose the ball. City flood up the other end at pace. Sane slides the ball wide left for Silva, who instantly whips a low ball towards the far stick for Sterling. Sterling slams the ball past Darlow and into the right-hand side of the net, but he’s gone a fraction too early and the flag goes up. It’s the correct decision, although it’s such a tight one it’s slightly surprising the attacker didn’t get the benefit of the doubt. Yes, that tight.
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16 min: Sane embarks on a dribble from deep on the left, and gets as far as the corner of the Newcastle six-yard box. But Manquillo has stuck to his shoulder, and eventually nicks the ball off him before he can take a shot. That’s fine defending.
15 min: Sane takes a shot from 25 yards out, just to the left. A daisy-flattener gently rolls out of play to the left of goal. For all City’s possession and domination, Darlow has yet to get his hands warm.
14 min: Walker might not have much of a shot on him, but what a crossfield pass he plays here, right to left, to release Zinchenko into space. Zinchenko crosses deep, forcing Dummett to concede another corner. Yet again the set piece doesn’t trouble Newcastle, but this is a very one-sided game right now.
12 min: This match has settled into attack versus defence. No prizes for guessing. Silva sashays down the left and earns City yet another corner. The set piece leads to nothing.
10 min: Sane tricks his way to the byline down the left and nearly finds Aguero in the middle with a floated cross. It’s half cleared, but Sane just comes again down the same flank to earn a corner. From the set piece, the ball’s worked out to Walker, who launches a comical effort into orbit.
8 min: Silva bursts down the left and very nearly finds De Bruyne on his inside with a cute pass on the edge of the Newcastle area. It’s intercepted at the very last second by Manquillo. City looking dangerous, as usual, after that unusually sluggish start.
6 min: So much for City’s early nerves. They win a couple of corners down the right in short order. The second sees De Bruyne, tight on the wing, slip a pass down the flank to release Silva in to the box. Silva crosses low and hard to the near post, where Stones rushes in and sidefoots powerfully wide right. Very close to the opening goal.
4 min: Sane kicks the ball against himself in the midfield to ship possession. A few signs that City have some early nerves jangling. Their lead at the top has, of course, been cut to a mere nine points after Manchester United’s earlier win at Burnley. Problems, problems.
2 min: A free kick for Newcastle just inside the City half. Shelvey shapes to float it into the box, but slides it down the left for Diame instead. City are sleeping, and Diame reaches the byline, hooking towards the far post. Zinchenko only half clears, the ball dropping to Atsu on the penalty spot. A good connection and City are in all sorts of trouble, but Atsu snatches at his shot, the ball bouncing harmlessly into the arms of Ederson.
1 min: City grab the ball off Newcastle within 20 seconds and stroke it around the back a bit. Then Aguero tries to skitter free down the left. Nothing doing.
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And we’re off! Newcastle get the ball rolling, but not before a minute of warm applause to remember the late, great, brave and brilliant Cyrille Regis.
The teams are out! Manchester City wear their famous sky blue shirts, while Newcastle United sport those storied black and white stripes. A classic look to this match, which of course is a repeat of the 1955 FA Cup final (the Toon won that 3-1) and the 1976 League Cup final (which City won 2-1). We’ll be off in a minute! “I’m sure that Rafa would have a go at City if he and Newcastle could,” argues Hubert O’Hearn. “The old master of tactics will have seen that, if there is any vulnerability, there it is in the wide areas attacked with pace. Problem is, he doesn’t have wide attackers. Or pace. The Magpies are my warmly-felt second club, but this could be a grim 90 minutes.”
Rafa speaks! “We have nothing to lose here. Everyone thinks City will win easily so we have to ensure it will be a difficult game for them. City will be more focused after their defeat last week but maybe they will be more nervous, so if we can start well we can see what happens during the game. We have to try different things to score goals, hopefully we will have our chances.”
Pep talks! “When you drop points, the next game is the most difficult. We did it in the past when we won a lot of games, the next one is important. If Newcastle defend deep like they did a month ago, we know what to try to do. But they might press high and go forward, so we will see. Zinchenko played in the recent past and did very well, he’s got a good left foot and a good mentality.”
Manchester City make two changes to the team named for the 4-3 defeat at Liverpool last Sunday. The injured Fabian Delph is replaced by Oleksandr Zinchenko, while David Silva returns at the expense of Ilkay Gundogan, who is named as a substitute.
Newcastle United make four changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Swansea City at St James’ Park last Saturday. Javier Manquillo, Isaac Hayden, Jacob Murphy and Joselu get the nod, with DeAndre Yedlin, Matt Ritchie, Dwight Gayle and Ayoze Perez dropping to the bench.
The teams
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, David Silva, Sterling, Aguero, Sane.
Subs: Bravo, Danilo, Gundogan, Mangala, Bernardo Silva, Adarabioyo, Diaz.
Newcastle United: Darlow, Manquillo, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Shelvey, Diame, Hayden, Murphy, Joselu, Atsu.
Subs: Elliot, Gayle, Ritchie, Perez, Yedlin, Merino, Haidara.
Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire).
Preamble
It’s fair to say Newcastle played it safe when these teams met at St James’ Park just after Christmas. Manchester City’s 1-0 win really isn’t worth revisiting. But Rafa Benitez may consider it prudent to set up his team in similar fashion at the Etihad today. Partly because those much-derided defensive tactics back home nearly paid off with an unlikely draw - Newcastle carved out a couple of half-chances to snatch something at the end - but mainly because City are coming off the back of their first Premier League defeat of the season.
Pep Guardiola’s men will be desperate to make a statement after a 4-3 defeat at Liverpool, a result which slightly flattered them. The last time they lost a game, going down 2-1 in a dead Champions League rubber at Shakhtar Donetsk, they put in one of the performances of the season by winning at Old Trafford. The Toon Army will be fearful of similar repercussions, especially as they’ve conceded 11 goals on their last two visits to the Etihad. Getting anything out of this game will be a tall order for Newcastle, though they’re unbeaten in four since the City defeat, and you’ve got to take every positive you can. Hey, here’s another: City have only kept four clean sheets at home this season. God speed, Newcastle.
Kick off: 5.30pm GMT.
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