Newcastle United vs Manchester City. Premier League.
St James' Park, NewcastleAttendance52,258.
Report and free highlights as Manchester City rally to earn a thrilling 3-3 draw at Newcastle, with Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland pulling champions back from two goals back; Miguel Almiron, Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier had earlier scored after Ilkay Gundogan's opener
Monday 22 August 2022 06:09, UK
Manchester City displayed their championship resolve as they came from two goals down to salvage a 3-3 draw in an all-action game at Newcastle.
City had won 27 of their previous 28 games when scoring first but, after Ilkay Gundogan's early opener, that record looked in danger as they fell 3-1 behind through a display of intensity and attacking intent labelled a "brilliant response" by Eddie Howe.
Allan Saint-Maximin made all three of Newcastle's goals as City found it impossible to deal with the winger's pace and power, first crossing for Miguel Almiron to level with a diving header which was initially ruled out for offside before a VAR intervention.
After a surging run forward Saint-Maximin then found Callum Wilson for the second, with the striker beating Ruben Dias before firing past Ederson. Kieran Trippier then curled 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, would not go down without a fight and were given a lifeline when Erling Haaland rifled home from a corner, before Bernardo Silva finished off a piece of genius playmaking from Kevin De Bruyne to level things up again.
The drama was not limited to the goalmouths with Trippier shown a red card by referee Jarred Gillett for a high challenge on De Bruyne, but VAR stepped in again and the decision was downgraded to a booking, and neither side could then find another breakthrough late on as a pulsating match at St James' Park ended level.
"It was an incredible game, a rollercoaster of emotions through the match," Howe told Sky Sports after the game. "We go one-nil down and it's the worst possible start against this team because then you have to chase the game and potentially leave open spaces, but the players responded brilliantly to that.
"We scored some great goals, I was absolutely delighted with the effort and commitment, everything the players gave. I'm sure for the neutral it was an incredible game, for us as managers your torn because we were 3-1 up and you're desperate to win, but we needed something from the game and I think the players deserved that."
Eddie Howe admitted before the game his side's attacking intent may leave holes at the back and City dealt them an early blow when Gundogan was left unmarked to take down Silva's cross and beat Nick Pope with his second touch.
But that mindset would serve Newcastle better as the game wore on, with their fluid counter-attacks cutting City apart at will once they found their stride.
Saint-Maximin was left with Rodri and Kyle Walker on him in the build-up to the hosts' equaliser, but beat both before crossing for Almiron to glance home at the back post.
An offside flag cut the Paraguayan's celebrations short, but a VAR review judged him just onside and brought St James' Park to its feet.
Wilson's second owed much to the Frenchman's direct running too, turning inside Walker and driving forward before feeding the forward, whose excellent first touch took him away from Dias before he fired past the exposed Ederson.
Newcastle's half-time lead was deserved but felt fragile, until Trippier doubled their advantage with a free-kick reminiscent of his World Cup strike against Croatia in 2018 - again after a Saint-Maximin run.
Haaland, who had earlier been denied by a stunning Pope save to tip a shot onto the post, would pull City back into contention six minutes later when a corner kick was kept alive at the back post.
A touch of class from De Bruyne provided the next twist on a rollercoaster afternoon, picking out Silva in the box with a pinpoint pass from deep for the equaliser.
Trippier was shown a straight red card for a knee-high trip on the Belgian which threatened to turn the match in City's favour, until Gillett visited the pitchside monitor and awarded him a yellow instead.
After that moment of redemption, Newcastle stood firm to secure an impressive point against the Premier League champions, and continue their own unbeaten start in the process.
Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe on Sky Sports:
"It was an incredible game, a rollercoaster of emotions through the match. We go one-nil down and it's the worst possible start against this team because then you have to chase the game and potentially leave open spaces, but the players responded brilliantly to that.
"We scored some great goals. I was absolutely delighted with the effort and commitment, everything the players gave. I'm sure for the neutral it was an incredible game, for us as managers you're torn because we were 3-1 up and you're desperate to win, but we needed something from the game and I think the players deserved that.
"We brought our physicality to the match, it was something we spoke about all week. We wanted to make them uncomfortable, get our crowd in the match, these are things we felt we didn't do against them last year.
"We wanted to put them under pressure and make them leave here feeling like they'd been in a game. Not speaking for them but I think they would have felt that because certainly we were in their faces and committed physicality very well".
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on Sky Sports:
"They arrived more than usual in our final third but they didn't have many clear chances apart from the Almiron shot. We had the clear, clear chances to score but scoring three goals is good.
"Newcastle are becoming one of the toughest opponents - they have quality, they are strong. This is the Premier League. Leeds beat Chelsea. It's so difficult for everyone. This kind of experience shows us how amazing we have done in the last five years and how difficult it will be but we will try.
"They managed to get contact into Saint-Maximin and when they arrive there, his aggression with the ball is so dangerous. You have to stop it before he gets the ball. He's an excellent player. Kyle [Walker] did an incredible job, I know it's a difficult job. That's why we had to run more than usual.
"We played an excellent game, the chances we had to score more goals. We were excellent."
Shay Given on Sky Sports:
"A lot of the saves I would expect him to make. He's a tall goalkeeper so sometimes it's easier to save with you feet than your hands.
"He's started brilliantly and straightaway the fans are on his side, I think Eddie is really happy with him.
"He strikes me as someone who doesn't do anything flash. Even in the last minute, he comes and claims the cross when City were pushing hard to take the pressure off. He brings that calmness, nothing fancy, but he made some big saves today.
"He's 30 years of age, there's still plenty of room for improvement and I think Eddie and his staff will be working on that, can he do a bit better with the ball at his feet? But he's shown when the right time is to kick it."
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink on Sky Sports:
"He is still growing, still improving. He has got everything, he's quick, he gets chances and he will score goals. He's a goal-getter, he lives for goals. The ball is like a magnet in the box to his feet.
"It's not fair to say he only got eight touches, you have to look at how Man City play, Bournemouth were sitting around the box - he's not going to touch the ball a lot, he's going to touch the ball in the box the majority of the time and he needs to be sharp.
"The pressure he will have to deal with. If he wants to become the best player ever he has to be able to handle the pressure Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappe are getting. Every game they will look at what he does."
Sky Sports' Ron Walker:
"On the one hand, both Newcastle and Manchester City had different reasons to be disappointed to take a draw at St James' Park when at different points, they would have expected all three.
"But on the other, there were positives for both camps from a memorable game for the neutral as both teams displayed their technical and mental qualities over the 90 minutes.
"There is a reason City came into the game with 27 wins from their previous 28 games when scoring first. Once they go in front, they do not take their foot off the gas. Many teams wilt under the pressure, but Newcastle stood strong after Ilkay Gundogan's fifth-minute opener.
"They remained true to the positive game plan Eddie Howe had promised before kick-off, did not allow Manchester City to dictate the game and instead completed a deserved first-half turnaround through a display of clinical but superb counter-attacking football.
"Kieran Trippier and Allain Saint-Maximin's faces told their disappointment in 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 their own qualities against a technically superior side.
"For City, although there will be concerns around Newcastle's first-half domination in midfield, they are well aware of the dangers of their style on the break, and Pep Guardiola will not be overly concerned.
"He will be impressed - although again unsurprised - by how they came through a major early-season test, however, wrestling back the momentum at a raucous St James' Park to rescue a point.
"With the quality of Erling Haaland's positioning and runs and Kevin De Bruyne's form hitting its heights, the opening three games have given Pep plenty to be positive about at the Etihad and no team will go through the season without dropping points - City are just as much the team to beat as they were at 4.30pm.
Newcastle play away from home twice this week, first visiting Tranmere in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports Football; kick-off at 7.45pm, before they are live on Sky Sports Premier League next Sunday when they face Wolves at Molineux; kick-off at 2pm.
Manchester City play Barcelona in a charity friendly at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night; kick-off at 8.30pm, before hosting Crystal Palace next Saturday; kick-off at 3pm.
