Can City possibly win it from here?
We played so good, insists Guardiola, but on this evidence...
MANCHESTER City won each of their 14 remaining matches to lift the Premier League title after losing here last season — and they could well have to do even better than that incredible feat to defend their crown.
It was not a defeat this time, although it should feel like one for Pep Guardiola given Liverpool’s relentless pursuit of their first championship in 30 years.
City won 14 on the spin after going down 2-1 at St James’ Park in January. There are 24 games to go this time, however, and they will have to win 23 of those to equal last season’s points tally of 98 — now that is a daunting prospect.
What are the chances? Absolutely zero on this evidence. Guardiola was not fooling anyone when he emerged to declare that City had played ‘so good’, a level of spin entirely in keeping with election season.
For even if they had scraped a victory, City do not look like a side with the energy and imagination needed to keep pace with the leaders.
It was always going to take something special to win a match in which they had been anything but — and it was Kevin De Bruyne who l ooked t o have masked an o r d i n a r y p e r f o r manc e wi t h an extraordinary goal eight minutes from time.
Guardiola embraced his backroom staff as much in relief as celebration following the Belgian’s thunderous volley, but within moments he was crumpled on his haunches as Newcastle broke and won a free-kick on the fringe of the area. Still, City should have shown enough wit to defend the set-piece. What followed was brainless as they allowed Jonjo Shelvey to stand unmarked and receive Christian Atsu’s pull-back before sweeping majestically into the far corner from 22 yards.
‘I’ll be a Liverpool hero now,’ joked the scorer, a former Red.
Guardiola was not in the mood for jokes, prickling at t he suggestion City had underestimated Newcastle.
‘In the way we play we showed we want to win and we tried everything to win,’ he said. ‘To win what we’ve done in recent years you cannot underestimate the opponents, you have to have a lot of respect for all the teams.
‘It was a tight game like we expected, they defended solidly, had 10 players in the box. It’s one of those days, they defend so deep, we play so good.
‘We conceded two shots on target and conceded two goals. The way we played was really good.’
Of their 11-point deficit to Liverpool, the Spaniard added: ‘It’s not a good idea to think about the Premier League or how many points, just win games. If we don’t win, it will be more difficult.’
Steve Bruce, by contrast, was delighted, especially given the response to a woeful showing at Aston Villa last Monday.
‘We have to address that — we go up and down too quickly,’ he said. ‘But a response like that feels like a win for everyone.’
The visitors saw a staggering 83 per cent possession in the first half, yet did very l i t t l e with it. I t was ponderous and predictable.
Even their opening goal was as much about luck as it was design after a game of pinball inside the area. Saying that, David Silva’s assist — an instinctive back heel — was a touch of class and Raheem Sterling ended a three-game drought by steering into the bottom corner.
The lead lasted barely four minutes and highlighted the need for two Fernandinhos — one for defence and midfield.
For had the Brazilian been operating in his more accustomed defensive midfield berth instead of at centre-back he would have prevented the concession.
Still, it was a tidy finish from defender Jetro Willems, even if he was afforded the freedom of the area after swapping passes with Miguel Almiron and, like Sterling, guiding just inside the post.
A point worth recording is that this was Almiron’s first assist since his £21million arrival in January and his team- mates celebrated as much with him as they did the scorer.
Sterling drew a save f rom Martin Dubravka before half-time but, for all of their pretty patterns on halfway, City had been pretty ugly in the final third.
It was much the same after the break and it was a mystery as to why Guardiola waited until the 70th minute before making a double change.
Moments earlier Gabriel Jesus had been sprung clear by De Bruyne but fired straight at Dubravka.
Given the injured Sergio Aguero’s record of having scored more goals against Newcastle (15) than any player against any club in Premier League history, you would have expected him to fare a little better. If Aguero had played here, you feel, City would have won.
Jesus wasn’t the only one guilty of errant finishing as chances suddenly came their way in the final 20 minutes and substitute Bernardo Silva dragged wide from 14 yards.
But De Bruyne showed them how it should be done when l ashing home via t he underside of the crossbar from distance.
There was another chance to win it after Shelvey’s leveller when De Bruyne picked out an unmarked Sterling in stoppage-time but he scuffed at Dubravka.
The finish summed up City’s display — untidy and unconvincing.