Manchester City’s challenge for the title was denied by Newcastle when Harvey Barnes scored twice to force a contentious 2-1 victory on Saturday.
Ruben Dias scored the visitors’ equalizer before Pep Guardiola’s side went ahead of Barnes in the second half at St James’ Park.
Newcastle’s contentious second goal, which was allowed to stand after a lengthy VAR check for a potential offside against Bruno Guimaraes, was scored moments after Dias levelled.
Additionally, Phil Foden’s claim of a first-half penalty angered Guardiola.
Fourth-placed Arsenal are four points clear of City, who host Tottenham on Sunday, following their fourth league defeat this year.
Guardiola said it was too soon to discuss the title race for this week, but the City manager will be extremely disappointed if he doesn’t get to press Arsenal.
With a 3-0 victory over troubled champions Liverpool, City recorded seven victories from eight games in total before the international break.
However, they wasted that momentum in an error-filled display on Tyneside, where Erling Haaland was held without a goal for the third time this season between City and Norway.
Since joining Borussia Dortmund in 2022, Haaland was hoping to get his 100th league goal in his 109th game.
However, he squandered several chances, and Newcastle capitalized on that to defeat City for the second time in their last 36 league encounters.
Before the international break, Eddie Howe’s first victory over City in 19 top-flight outings helped Newcastle recover from successive league defeats at Brentford and West Ham.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, a City keeper, nearly gave Newcastle the lead with a terrible pass that Barnes intercepted, but the winger’s 10-yard direct shot at the Italian wasted the chance.
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After Jeremy Doku’s pass, Haaland reacted by hurling himself out of his area and scuffing his attempt to chip over Nick Pope in an equally bad miss moments later.
Donnarumma superbly prevented Nick Woltemade’s header from Tino Livramento’s cross, which Newcastle were denied.
Foden blazed wide in a good position inside the area after Fabian Schar had forced him to endure a painful tackle in the same incident. He later appealed in vain for a penalty.
When Doku’s shot was blocked with his arm, Foden and City’s coaching staff became furious with the decision.
After bursting through on goal, Donnarumma and Woltemade made a second duo, winning the match.
Barnes made the worst mistake of finishing him poorly by shooting wide from close range with the goal at his mercy in the second half.
Even Haaland was off the mark when Pope was volleyed straight at him from five yards with Nico O’Reilly’s cross.
The unmarked Foden, who drew wide from Rayan Cherki’s pass just before half-time, was remarkable.
After Guimaraes’ run and pass broke open the defense, Barnes finally made amends for his earlier errors by finishing well in the 64th minute. Lashing a low drive past Donnarumma from the edge of the area, City finally cracked.
Only four minutes into Guardiola’s men’s lead.
Dias’ powerful 12 yard deflected in off Schar as Bernardo Silva’s shot was blocked in his direction.
However, Howe’s side responded right away with Dias’ first league goal since he scored it at Newcastle four years ago.
Guimaraes nodded against the bar as Woltemade directed his header past the goal, and Barnes tapped in for a rebound that Barnes could not recover.
The lengthy VAR check for offside against Guimaraes appeared to favor City, but it ultimately ended up in Newcastle’s favor thanks to the Magpies’ cherished victory.
Source: Channels TV
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