PREMIER LEAGUE
Manchester City vs Newcastle United summary: score, goals, highlights | Premier League
Pep Guardiola’s side move back to within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal as Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva down Newcastle.
Over to you, Arsenal. The latest twist in the Premier League title race has seen Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City pile the pressure back on the Gunners thanks to a 2-0 home victory over Newcastle United, who looked certainties to qualify for the Champions League a few weeks ago but whose form has fallen off a cliff at just the wrong time.
The Magpies were always going to be second-favourites to take anything home from the Etihad but started brightly until a solo run from Phil Foden ended with the winger opening the scoring for the hosts on the quarter-of-an-hour mark. City created relatively little after that and Newcastle again rallied after the break, although they were hit by a sucker punch just when they looked to be at their most threatening.
Bernardo Silva an inspired substitution
A triple change saw Eddie Howe introduce Allain Saint-Maximin, Joe Willock and Aleksander Isak, who almost crafted an immediate equaliser. However, it was City sub Bernado Silva who ultimately had the most devastating impact from the bench, netting the crucial second goal from Erling Haaland’s layoff just over two minutes after replacing Kevin De Bruyne.
Guardiola’s men close the gap to at the top to two points ahead of Arsenal’s home game against Bournemouth, although City have played an extra game. Newcastle, meanwhile, have won only one of their last eight Premier League matches and are now four points off the top four.
What did Pep Guardiola say after Manchester City’s win over Newcastle United?
Guardiola spoke to British broadcaster BT Sport after the game:
On Bernardo Silva’s instant impact: Bernardo had the ability to help us have long possessions. He had the ability to keep the ball and make the extra pass because at that moment the game was broken. Newcastle were on top at that point. We didn’t want the game in transitions so that’s why Bernardo was our idea. It worked and we won so it’s perfect.
“The game started and they were better, we struggled to build up, we made some changes during the first half and after the brilliant piece of play from Phil (Foden), we had the game in our hands, we didn’t suffer.
“The first minutes of the second half were good but then we lost the game and Bernardo helped us to come back. Their threat is not a surprise, there is a reason why they were in the Carabao Cup final and for a lot of minutes they were better than United. This team and this club in the next few years will be a threat for the title.”
On Phil Foden: “His commitment without the ball, both him and Jack (Grealish)... Of course, it was a deflected goal but the aggression to go in is something we’ve missed a little bit this season. In these positions, in that part of the goal, you have to be aggressive like he was for the goal”.
On the Premier League title race: “Before the game it was ‘bye’, now it is ‘hello!’ Lots of things are going to happen. It was an important, important game and then tomorrow I’m going to sit in front of the TV to watch what happens at Anfield.”