After four consecutive wins in all competitions, Pep Guardiola’s side felt the bitter taste of defeat once again.
Both teams squandered chance after chance from the start. In a seven-minute whirlwind early in the second half, the ball hit the back of the net three times, turning the game into a thrilling contest as Newcastle United toppled Manchester City.
The Premier League clash at St. James’ Park on Saturday night ended 2-1 in favor of the hosts.
Newcastle hero Harvey Barnes scored both goals for his team, while Ruben Dias netted City’s lone reply.
Despite holding 68 percent possession and firing 17 shots—four on target—City couldn’t convert their dominance into victory. Newcastle, meanwhile, had just nine shots but managed five on target.
This defeat marked City’s fourth loss in 12 matches, leaving them third with 22 points. Chelsea sit second with one more point, while Arsenal top the table with 26 points, having played one game fewer.
For Newcastle, this was only their second Premier League victory against City in 20 years. Eddie Howe’s side climbed to 14th with 15 points from 12 matches.
City nearly fell behind in the first minute due to an error by Gianluigi Donnarumma, who gifted the ball to Barnes. Thankfully, the Italian goalkeeper managed to save the attempt.
Donnarumma made another superb save in the 13th minute, denying a powerful header from German forward Nick Woltemade in the box.
Barnes missed another clear chance in the 31st minute, while City’s Phil Foden fired wide from a similar position in the 42nd.
At the start of the second half, missed opportunities continued. Bernardo Silva’s lofted effort went over the bar, and shortly after, Erling Haaland’s shot was saved by the goalkeeper.
The deadlock finally broke in the 63rd minute, when Barnes blasted a powerful strike from outside the box to put Newcastle ahead.
City responded quickly. In the 68th minute, Dias’ shot deflected off a defender and into the net, leveling the score.
However, City conceded again just two minutes later. After Bruno Guimaraes’ header hit the crossbar, Barnes tapped in the rebound. Following a lengthy VAR review for a possible offside, the referee awarded the goal.
The final minutes saw end-to-end action, but neither side could find the net again, leaving Newcastle with a memorable 2-1 victory over City.
