Show only key events Please enable JavaScript to use this feature 22 min Newcastle are enjoying it, Almiron and Guimaraes have crosses headed clear. The big pitch at St James’ helps them because they were brave enough to keep the wings high and wide and then send the full-backs forward in support. 21 min Ake is hurt and although he wants more time to see what’s going on, with things going as they are, Guardiola can’t let him, sending on Diaz. 20 mins Now Newcastle counter, again with speed and intensity, St-Maximin finds Almiron, whose cross is well ahead of Wilson. Could it have slipped in? Either way, City are lucky to still have the lead and a clean sheet – this match is cooking. 20 mins De Bruyne tries the ball, and it’s on target, but Pope clears easily enough. 19 mins City win a free-kick just outside the box, right of center… Updated at 16.51 BST 18 mins Cancelo is penalized for a foul during this move. 17 minutes This is getting crazy! Newcastle swarm forward, and when Wilson touches Joelinton, he slips a fine ball to Saint-Maximin, who falls outside Walker and cuts back! Almiron must score! But the forward with nine league goals in the ’93 league starts, leans back and goes over the top. This is a colossal omission. 15 mins This is a really open game, which I suppose Newcastle are allowing with their defensive line. But he is fouled once more when De Bruyne dislodges Foden on the left. again, he shoots towards the near post and Pope saves with a leg when he tries for the far corner. On the touchline, Guardiola is furious that there was no square pass for Haaland – just as there was none from Foden last weekend. He may be informed of some feelings at halftime. 13 mins Better than Newcastle, Willock circling Walker and … beating him with pace? Don’t adjust your sets, that’s exactly what happened. I know! Anyway, it lands to the left, then with Wilson squared in… but yerman chooses not to let the ball onto him and onto his right foot, sweeping with his left and seeing it fly wide. 11 min This was truly outstanding from Haaland, the world’s first lab-created soccer monster. He will do a ridiculous amount of damage this season. Photo: Lee Smith/Action Images/Reuters Updated at 16:50 BST 10 mins Haaland holds up deftly, then turns, gives Willock a free pig back, and with the outside of his boot, curls De Bruyne inside on the right! He should be turning his run slightly to get close to goal but he doesn’t so when the time comes to pull the trigger he doesn’t get too far on target and Pope saves with his feet at the near post. 9 minutes “Song selection was spot on!” reckons Michael Driscoll. – Kaizer Chiefs are from Leeds – The home team just ran all over Chelsea – There may well be a riot at Old TraffordPoints deductions because… he’s funny and brilliant?’ I don’t think Kaiser Chiefs – named after Lucas Radebe, if we’re making links to Leeds – are on point. I don’t make the rules, but I am bound by them. 8 mins De Bruyne is pulled away by Guimaraes, who takes him to the turf before protesting the obvious booking you’ll see. 7 min Eddie Howe will be extremely unhappy with how it all played out, but to a large extent, that’s what’s happening against City: the pressure to perform is intense, so players are making mistakes they wouldn’t otherwise make.
GOAL! Newcastle United 0-1 Manchester City (Gundogan 5)
Gundogan starts the move just inside the City half and drives forward as Bernardo eases forward unmolested. The cross then picks him out and he has time to control, get the ball behind him and slot it home, meaning an absolute disgrace to Newcastle’s much-improved defence. Too easy. Protagonist of the city. Photo: Scott Heppell/Reuters Updated at 16:40 BST 4 minutes I first saw Rodri play for Spain I think and he looked like a serious talent back then. But his improvement to arguably the league’s best is yet another testament to Guardiola’s ability to pick the players he needs and then develop them, and Rodri’s delightfully ugly streak. He’s not as fast as Fernandido, but he’s almost as stingy. 4 min City are now building, Haaland is sacked and goes back as Rodri hits over the top. 2 minutes How often do teams score from tight corners? I bet even less often, on average, than from a corner he sent into the box. At which point I wonder if the data will ever insist players stop shooting from free kicks as that almost never yields a goal and have them cross or pass instead. Updated at 16.34 BST 2 mins Newcastle working a short corner well, Guimaraes finds Trippier, whose cross is met by Ederson. 1 min Yes, Joelinton Scholes spreads the play to Trippier, deep into the City half as expected, and his cross is headed in for an early corner… Updated at 16.33 BST 1 minute How are we doing! I don’t even like Mark Knopfler, but Local Hero has to be the best singer in the league. The teams are coming! “It’s disappointing how easily bought we humans are,” writes Niall Mullen via email. “I can only assume that if Putin bought my club and promised huge investment in the team, I would turn up at the next game in a ushanka claiming that, in fact, Ukraine is Russian.” I guess it makes some sense – there is something better in life than your team’s football glory. What I find disturbing is the refusal to acknowledge the origin of success, and the animus sent by those whose job it is to point it out. None of them want to be like that, nor do they resent their success beyond that. I wrote about it – and City’s lack of rawness – here . “So the defense with the joint best defensive record in the Premier League last season and who have yet to concede this season ‘lacks quality,’” says Ben Burrell, quoting me back to myself. “I’d love to hear how you define defensive quality Dan!” As with all of Guardiola’s teams, City press from the front and retain possession surprisingly well – the battle is their defense far more than getting anything from it. It’s the main reason Guardiola only won the Champions League with Messi and the best midfield ever – you can get away with it domestically, but in Europe they eventually catch you. Look at Liverpool, Spurs, Lyon, Chelsea, Madrid – City have been the best team in Europe for about five years now, and a final is not a reasonable reflection of that. Defense is the reason. Football Nicknames: I mentioned earlier that Steve Bruce used to call Joelinton “Big Joe”, which reminded me of Sam Allardyce calling Tal Ben Haim “Ben”, meaning “his son”. And more for more? “If the men’s teams deserve condemnation,” he emails Em Jackson, “for the way KSA and the UAE have invested on both sides to facilitate the sporting laundering of dubious regimes (and NUFC with KSA in particular – and with links to the Tories who support the Reuben Brothers even more so), then what news from sports commentary about NUFC Women now being run, entirely, by the owners of NUFC? Is equality in sport the chance to be as bad as men’s sides on ownership? Or should women say, ‘No, until women in KSA are free to exercise democratic choices and freedoms?’” This is football. There should always be enough hassle to go around. Fast Edward says playing is “the ultimate test” – with “for me” obviously added. His team needs to be the best version of himself, and in this relationship he will not sit deep. Well, that’s the plan, but he knows how the game can go, that can happen whether you want it to or not. But he doesn’t want to give the class players too much time on the ball, he knows his team has players who can hurt City and by showing intent to win the game, his players can get involved in the crowd. Guardiola is typically grumpy when asked about his selection, saying there is room for Sergio Gomez because Jack Grealish is injured. He knows that Newcastle away from home is always difficult, so his team will have to show how good they are and how well they understand their football. He is also surprised that his side have started the season in decent form, having had a short pre-season – at least that’s what he says. At which point, I would expect to see Kieran Trippier be brave in attack for that reason. As with almost every team to play against City, beating them is a pain because it has to be done with around 30% possession, most of which is not in dangerous areas. But any team that plays City also has the chance, if they can get enough decent ball, to have a word with a defense that lacks solidity and quality. Obviously the full-backs are excellent, but Joao Cancelo’s license to attack means space at the back, while the centre-backs are decent but not the best, and they can dominate both physically. I’d expect Callum Wilson to try and nail them, but he’ll need decent outside service – in fact I wonder if, for that reason, Fraser could have been picked ahead of Almiron if he’d been fit. Full time at Elland Road, they played I Predict A Riot. I’d get points for that, clever. I anticipate deducting points. Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty Images Updated at 16.05 BST The final whistle arrived there – Leeds are now second in the table, Chelsea 12th – and at the London Stadium – or London Stadium – where Brighton beat West Ham 2-0. Brighton are fourth, West Ham down. They play injury time at Elland Road, where Leeds still lead Chelsea 3-0 and, for added joy, Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off for a completely unnecessary second bookable offence. None of these changes are incomprehensible, and before I lightly question them, yes, I know, chances are Josep Guardiola knows more about association football than I do. However, with City’s defense remaining their weak point, I’m surprised they aren’t trying to…
