Erling Haaland had an unusual day as Harvey Barnes gave Newcastle victory over Manchester City at St James’ Park.
The Premier League’s Goalling Comscorer went into the contest looking for his 100th strike in the English top flight but missed two excellent chances as City stormed to their second straight victory.
Barnes was not as prolarger, scoring the Ruben Dias Equalizer, to move Newcastle up to 14th in the table.
Haaland squanders early
Haaland should have opened the scoring within the first four minutes but rubbed his lines in inconvenient fashion. The Norwegian was played in by Jeremy Doku but he tried to hold the ball over the advancing nick pope and only succeeded when he found it wide.
It was to prove a sign of things to come as both sides grabbed a number of chances in the opening period.
City goalkeeper Goalleeper GonLuigi Donnarumma made a good save to save Nick Woltemade’s header and the German striker failed to beat the Italian again after 27 minutes played by Barnes.
Between those chances, City had two very good shouts from the penalty spot. The first came from a stone, Falwazi Schar caught Phil Foden by the ankle after the England player found the second time, passed Malick Thiaw, and was removed by Nalick Thiaw.
City had every right to feel hard done by but Newcastle failed to capitalize on their luck, Barnes somehow firing wide of Jacob Murphy’s low post.
The visitors came again and Haaland was denied a traditional try when his shot from close range hit the pope in the chest and the safety woke up again.
Phil Foden was guilty of a poor save when he had his feet wide of the goal after good work from Ryan Cherki a minute later.
Barnes double with magpies
City tied for the spot at the start of the second period but Newcastlele remained a threat on the counter, one of Donnarumma’s good saves denied Woltemade approaching the hour mark.
Five minutes later Newcastle took the lead. Bruno Guimaraes saw the ball back to Barnes on the edge of the area and fired a crisp low shot into the left corner.
Their lead lasted only five minutes, the church failed to clear the corner and in a shocker when the ball fell to DAIL and kicked out with Schar’s leg.
It looked as though Pep Guardiola’s side would go on and make it their own but they were undone by Newcastle’s physical presence at the other end.
City fought to get the ball clear, Sandro Tonali’s cross was deflected back into the goal by Woltemade Guimaraes to shake NOD. The ball fell kindly for Barnes to hook the ball home, the goal finally being awarded after a long run out of time.
Newcastle fell behind in the final 20 minutes but City are fighting back. The best chance fell to Lavinho but he shot high over the bar when well placed.
