Newcastle celebration shuts down Liverpool talk as Man City taunt silenced - 5 things


Newcastle United have claimed a well-earned point following a 1-1 draw against champions Manchester City at St James' Park.

Josko Gvardiol put Manchester City in front in the 35th minute, but Anthony Gordon equalised from the spot on the hour mark after winning a penalty for his side.

Here are five things we learned from the game.

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Anthony Gordon reaffirms his commitment

There is a reason you have to go back to December for the last time Manchester City suffered a league defeat. There is a reason Newcastle have only won one of their last 34 top-flight fixtures against the four-times' champions. This side, even without the influential Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne, are relentless.

Boy did Newcastle need their big players to step up on Saturday, particularly with striker Alexander Isak missing with a toe injury, and it fell to Anthony Gordon to lead the line in the record signing's absence. That was a prospect the English international relished. "It doesn't matter to me where I play," he said. "I believe I'm going to play well - regardless of where I am on the pitch. The game's about moments rather than position so it's about handling moments when they come to me. Striker, right-wing, left-wing - it doesn't matter."

Wor Flags saluted Gordon with a huge display in the East Stand and Gallowgate End before kick-off and the 23-year-old looked eager to repay that support as he chased and harried before stepping up when Newcastle needed him most when the hosts were behind. Not only did Gordon win a penalty after Ederson took him down inside the box - the Scouser showed real bottle to take the spot-kick and send the goalkeeper the wrong way.

Should that have come as a surprise? Gordon has had a slow start to the campaign, but the forward was Newcastle's big-game player last season, scoring against Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, Chelsea and Manchester United at St James'.

Anthony Gordon of Newcastle United celebrates scoring his team's first goal
Anthony Gordon of Newcastle United celebrates scoring his team's first goal

It certainly won't be his last against a big hitter in black and white. Having been subject of interest from boyhood club Liverpool in the summer, Gordon reaffirmed his commitment ahead of signing a new long-term deal by repeatedly kissing the badge on Saturday.

A spirited response

After holding firm, and restricting Manchester City to just a couple of shots on target, Newcastle were dealt a hammer blow in the 35th minute. Jack Grealish skipped away from the sliding Kieran Trippier down Newcastle's right-hand side before threading the ball through to Josko Gvardiol, who ghosted in between Dan Burn and Fabian Schar. The Manchester City defender turned inside Burn before picking out the bottom corner. The Magpies were undone in a blink of an eye.

The odds were against Newcastle from there on in. Manchester City, after all, had not lost any of their previous 69 Premier League games when leading at half-time.

Josko Gvardiol of Manchester City scores his team's first goal during the Premier League match
Josko Gvardiol of Manchester City scores his team's first goal during the Premier League match

However, Newcastle's heads did not drop. Joelinton's venomous volley forced Ederson into a fine stop right before half-time and the hosts pushed for an equaliser after the break. Gordon duly levelled it up from the spot.

The momentum was suddenly with Newcastle. Ederson rushed out to deny Harvey Barnes while Joelinton had a penalty appeal waved away. Then, just a few minutes later, Gordon was inches away from picking out Barnes at the far post while Jacob Murphy's ball across the ball was crying out for someone to get on the end of it. Sean Longstaff even had a huge chance to win it late on, but the substitute fired wide following Murphy's pullback.

This is more like Newcastle we know

You can be sure Eddie Howe was glad of a clear week to prepare for this game, after Newcastle's cup tie against AFC Wimbledon was postponed, and this was a timely opportunity for the Magpies to bounce back and show they could compete following some honest words behind the scenes at Benton in recent days following that defeat at Fulham. To prove that Pep Guardiola was not mistaken when he predicted that Manchester City would be 'trembling' because of the 'energy they play with, the physicality, with just one game a week'.

Kieran Trippier called the Fulham loss a 'wake-up call for us that standards need to be higher and that we need to raise the bar'. Harvey Barnes vowed: "We won't be going into it thinking, 'It's Manchester City and we're going to roll over.'" Newcastle backed up those words with their best performance of the campaign.

Newcastle set the tone from the off. Bruno welcomed Rico Lewis to St James' with a high foot just a few seconds in; Anthony Gordon slid in on Josko Gvardiol; and Sandro Tonali, making his first league start in nearly a year, bundled Ilkay Gundogan over. There was more of the intensity, aggression and energy we have come to expect from Newcastle after Eddie Howe admitted 'we didn't like ourselves' at Craven Cottage. This was much more like it.

Sandro Tonali pushes Jack Grealish over
Sandro Tonali pushes Jack Grealish over

Man City fans see Geordies come alive

It was just Newcastle's third game of the season at St James' and this side looked in need of home comforts and a shot in the arm. Pep Guardiola knew what was coming. "The team is one of the toughest, strongest opponents, especially away for the atmosphere in this marvellous stadium," the Manchester City boss said. "We are going ready for the battle."

Manchester City fans may have taunted 'Is this the Etihad?' and 'Where's your famous atmosphere?' at various points in the first half, as the visitors dominated possession, but it only takes one moment for this crowd to come alive. That's exactly what happened when Anthony Gordon not only won a penalty - but put it away. The stadium erupted and the fans played their part thereafter as they pushed Newcastle on in the search of a second before helping the hosts over the line to claim a point late on.

Newcastle United's English goalkeeper #22 Nick Pope (L) and Newcastle United's English head coach Eddie Howe (R)
Newcastle United's English goalkeeper #22 Nick Pope (L) and Newcastle United's English head coach Eddie Howe (R)

Nick Pope plays his part

Pep Guardiola may have named two goalkeepers on the bench, but Manchester City had serious firepower in reserve and Phil Foden, Savinho and Jeremy Doku were all introduced in the second half. It brought back memories of the corresponding fixture last season when Guardiola had the luxury of throwing on Kevin De Bruyne and Oscar Bobb, who turned the game on its head. Was history about to repeat itself after a whopping seven minutes of stoppage time were added on?

Not this time. Newcastle stood firm and on the one occasion Manchester City got a shot away late on, the Magpies had a goalkeeper in Nick Pope capable of making a superb save to keep out Bernardo Silva's effort late on.