Manchester City handed Arsenal a chance to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat by Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
Harvey Barnes struck a brace for the Toon, who ended their own winless run in the league.
Ruben Dias equalised for Pep Guardiola’s side in a four-minute flurry, but they could not hang on as a raucous Geordie faithful roared their side to three crucial points.
City had been hoping to cut Arsenal’s lead at the summit to just a single point ahead of Sunday’s north London derby, but they were beaten by a workhorse Newcastle side who had the luck of VAR smiling down on them.
Firstly, Fabian Schar escaped conceding a first-half penalty after his late challenge on Phil Foden, and then Bruno Guimaraes was found to have not stepped offside as he nodded against the crossbar before Barnes turned home the rebound for his and the hosts’ second on 70 minutes.
Both sides had chances aplenty in the first period, with Erling Haaland and Nick Woltemade denied by Nick Pope and Gianluigi Donnarumma countless times as neither striker could add to their already impressive top-flight tallies.
The result leaves the Magpies still in 14th, but they are now four points off Tottenham in eighth place.
City, meanwhile, dropped to third after Chelsea’s earlier 2-0 win at Burnley.
