Jonjo jumps to it to deal Pep a blow in title race
newcastle united 2
Willems (25), Shelvey (88) manchester city 2
Sterling (22), De Bruyne (82)
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola insisted the reigning Premier League champions can only retain their title if they “win games, win games, win games” after being held at Newcastle.
City led twice at St James’ Park, but eventually had to make do with a point after Jonjo Shelvey curled home a superb 87th-minute equaliser to clinch a draw for the Magpies.
That left Guardiola’s men eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool before they kicked off at home to Brighton, but asked if an 11-point gap would be too big to bridge, he replied: “It’s not time.
“We have another opponent in front of us, so we now have to try to win games, win games and see what happens.
“I said yesterday at the press conference that it’s not a good idea to think about the Premier League or think how many points.
“We have to win games, win games, win games, and when you don’t win, it will be more difficult.”
City took a 22nd-minute lead on Tyneside when David Silva back-heeled the ball into the path of Raheem Sterling after it had ricocheted back to him from Isaac Hayden’s challenge, and the England forward blasted home from close range.
Newcastle were level within three minutes when Jetro Willems – whose only other Newcastle goal came against Liverpool – played a one-two with Miguel Almiron before thumping a low right-foot drive past Ederson. It was the Paraguay international’s first assist since his £21million arrival in January.
Martin Dubravka needed two attempts to claim Sterling’s rising 33rd-minute strike and was relieved to see Kevin De Bruyne’s stoppage-time effort deflected into his waiting arms as the Magpies made it to the break on level terms.
Federico Fernandez’s barnstorming run from his own penalty area sparked a rare Newcastle counter-attack which saw Shelvey send a 54th-minute free-kick just wide after Fernandinho had barged Joelinton to the ground 30 yards out.
Javier Manquillo had to produce a lastditch tackle to deny Gabriel Jesus after De Bruyne and Sterling had picked a path through in the 65th minute, and Dubravka had to turn away a dangerous De Bruyne cross seconds later.
The Slovakia international pulled off a fine 68th-minute double save to deny Jesus and De Bruyne and saw substitute Bernardo Silva drag a left-foot shot wide four minutes later with the pressure mounting.
However, he was powerless to resist when De Bruyne pounced after Mendy’s cross had been half-cleared, chesting the ball down before firing home off the underside of the crossbar.
But there was to be a further twist when, with three minutes remaining, substitute Christian Atsu played a free-kick square to Shelvey, who sent a sumptuous curling effort beyond Ederson’s despairing dive to snatch a point.
Guardiola, whose side won their last 14 games last season to clinch the Premier League crown after a 2-1 defeat on Tyneside said: “Last season, we played badly, we played poorer than today.
“I feel we did everything to win the game and the guys responded perfectly, so that is the truth.
“I think we played at a good, good level in all terms, defending and set-pieces and everything. We moved the ball well, we found spaces outside especially with the players inside, and we arrived in front of goal many, many times. “Unfortunately, we could not score.” Opposite number Steve Bruce was delighted with the resilience of his team, which had lost tamely at Aston Villa on Monday evening, and in particular with Shelvey’s contribution.
Asked if the ex-Liverpool midfielder had just handed his former club the title, Bruce said: “I don’t know about that.
“I do know, that’s his second goal in three games and very quietly over the last few weeks, I’ve been very, very pleased with Jonjo.
“He’s responded to what we want to do, and of course we all know that in his locker, he’s got that ability.
“Who’s was the better one, his or De Bruyne’s? I’ll let you decide.
“Of course when De Bruyne hits that one in, a wonder goal, you think with eight minutes to go, that’s typical because of that little bit of quality they have got, which certainly De Bruyne’s got.
“But thankfully, we still had something to get back at them. That was the biggest thing for me, that twice, we’ve been behind against Manchester City and come back, which bodes well.”