‘A tough lesson’ – Newcastle get sobering reminder of gap to top

It was a sobering reminder for Newcastle United.

If one was even needed about the gap boss Eddie Howe’s side have to bridge on Manchester City.

Newcastle had taken the lead against the much-changed visitors at a buoyant St James’ Park.

They went into half-time level, with the chance to regroup after Savinho equalised in this FA Cup fifth-round tie.

But Newcastle soon found themselves 3-1 down after chief tormentor Omar Marmoush haunted them once again.

“That was a tough learning lesson for us in that second half,” Howe said afterwards. “We just didn’t have the strength to make a dent in them.”

Manchester City have now ended Newcastle’s dream of returning to Wembley in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Manager Pep Guardiola’s side have become the first team to ever beat Newcastle four times in a single season.

The only relief for Newcastle is that they cannot face City again this season – unless they both reach the Champions League final.

Newcastle hope to one day compete with teams like Manchester City for such heavyweight trophies.

CEO David Hopkinson even boldly stated his vision was “to be in the debate about being the top club in the world” by 2030.

But such talk feels jarring at the moment.

Yet it could have been so different.

Newcastle may have been feeling the effects of playing with 10 men for so long in a spirited midweek win against Manchester United.

But Newcastle started this fifth-round tie like a side who recognised that the FA Cup was not only their best chance of winning silverware this season.

It was also their most obvious route back into Europe at a time when Howe’s team lie in 12th place in the Premier League.

Newcastle quickly got the crowd into the game with their energy and intent.

Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford and defender Matheus Nunes uncharacteristically booted the ball out of play as the hosts pressed high.

Perhaps, most crucially, Newcastle grabbed the opening goal as Harvey Barnes fired his side in front with a fine curling effort.

It felt like a familiar script for Guardiola, who had previously seen Barnes score twice in a 2-1 win against his side at this very stadium back in November.

“The first 15, 20 minutes always happens,” he said. “We talk about that. We could not control.”

Just as the visitors rallied, though, Newcastle dropped deeper and deeper, and could not get out of their half.

The Magpies were pinned back by City, who dominated possession and repeatedly played their way through the hosts’ midfield.

“The way they play and how good they are technically, they took a stranglehold of the ball,” Howe said.

“When we got it back, we gave it away too easily, maybe looking too vertical and not horizontal enough at times.

To think this Manchester City side made 10 changes.

Erling Haaland was given the night off. Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marc Guehi, Ruben Dias, Rodri and Bernando Silva were among those who were not needed from the bench. Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo and Phil Foden did not come on until late on.

Yet the visitors’ strength in depth told – even if they benefited from some slack defending.

There were remarkable similarities between Savinho’s equaliser and Omar Marmoush’s first after Newcastle failed to stop each cross and the ball reached an unmarked City forward at the back post on both occasions.

Leaky Newcastle have now conceded 38 goals in 26 home games in all competitions this season.

It is their most in a campaign at St James’ Park since 1978.

“City are a top side and we have to take it on the chin today,” Trippier added.

In truth, Newcastle have no time to dwell on this defeat before the visit of Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at St James’ Park on Tuesday (20:00 GMT).

Howe even went as far as to call that match the “biggest game” in the club’s history.

“We need to approach it that way and we need the supporters to think that way,” the Newcastle head coach added.