Newcastle United finally secured a crucial Premier League victory over Manchester City, breaking a long-standing run of 12 winless attempts against the champions. Returning to domestic action after the international break, the Magpies earned a hard-fought 2-1 triumph at St James’ Park.
The first half ended scoreless, but the tempo shifted after the interval. Harvey Barnes, who had passed up several good opportunities earlier in the match, redeemed himself with two clinical finishes in the second half. His goals came either side of a strike from Ruben Dias, who briefly levelled for the visitors. Newcastle survived a late push from City and managed to hold on for a valuable three points. The result snapped their streak of away losses and extended their impressive home form to six straight wins across all competitions. Despite remaining 14th in the table, the victory lifts Eddie Howe’s side four points clear of the relegation spots and remarkably just four points away from the top five, keeping their hopes of pushing toward European qualification alive.
Reflecting on the performance, head coach Eddie Howe was full of admiration for his players’ application and commitment. “The players didn’t let us down—they were outstanding,” he said. “The intensity, the physical effort, the energy—they needed all of that because Manchester City are an elite team. One slip and they punish you. It was a top-level game between two very strong sides.”
Howe praised the influence of the personnel changes he made, noting the impact of Tino Livramento, who delivered a standout performance despite coming back from seven weeks on the sidelines. “Tino looked exceptional physically and handled a very tough opponent extremely well,” Howe said.
He also spoke highly of returning centre-backs Fabian Schar and Malik Thiaw. “Both deserve a lot of credit. Our style demands bravery and aggression, which can leave the centre-halves with big spaces to manage, but they handled that superbly. Their positioning and composure on the ball were excellent.”
After the defeat at Brentford, Howe made three adjustments to his starting XI, with Sven Botman, suspended Dan Burn, and the injured Kieran Trippier dropping out. Their places were taken by Schar, Lewis Hall, and Livramento. Howe highlighted Hall’s contribution in particular, despite the youngster’s lack of training during the international break. “Lewis showed great technical quality considering how long he’s been out. He handled pressure well, linked brilliantly with Harvey, and got forward effectively before fatigue set in.”
Hall’s substitution in the second half sparked concern among supporters, but Howe confirmed it was only due to cramp. “I haven’t had a full update yet, but as far as we know, it’s just cramp,” he said.
Newcastle now face a rapid turnaround as they prepare for their Champions League trip to Marseille on Tuesday night.
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