Man City 1 Newcastle 0: Champions edge cagey clash as Nick Pope blunder allows Julian Alvarez to score the winner
PEP GUARDIOLA asked the fans for a helping hand – and got an unlikely one from Nick Pope instead.
Pope has been one of the real stars of the show in the Saudi-backed rebuild, and last season no-one conceded fewer goals than the Toon keeper.
But last night he was anything but a hero, when he failed to get off the ground and flapped a hand at the Julian Alvarez drive which sealed the champions’ win.
Manager Guardiola had feared the worst for his weary warriors, on the back of their exhausting midweek Super Cup exploits in the searing Athens heat.
Hence his pleas for the Etihad supporters to drive his troops over the line. He should send a special thank you to Pope as well, because for an international keeper it was poor.
Thank Heavens, then, for the driving force that is Phil Foden, and the eye-for-a-goal of Alvarez.
Although had the Toon made the most of their late possession, they would have left here with at least a point.
How City missed their crocked inspiration Kevin De Bruyne. It will be a long five months without the Belgian, believe me.
At least they had enough left in the energy tank to make sure their first home game ended in another celebration. They are becoming something of the norm at the Etihad nowadays.
And when City began like a side intent on staging their own version of keep-ball, you wouldn’t have staked much on it being anything other than party central yet again.
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True, there wasn’t the cutting edge of some displays. As we saw when Alvarez trod on the ball to KO one thrust, and Haaland miscontrolled to wreck another.
You always felt, though, that it was only a matter of time before the champions picked the lock. That’s what they always do, after all.
And sure enough, little over half an hour in, bosh, there it was. City one up, Newcastle heads down and a case of “here we go again.”
How ironic, too, that for all their ability to slice through the most stonewall and solid of backlines, the Toon all but ushered this one into their own net.
The outstanding Foden fed Alvarez in the box, left in far too much space than a World Cup winning striker should be allowed.
He took a touch and arrowed an angled drive to Pope’s right…and the keeper’s efforts to save can only be called disappointing at best.
It was a boot in the backside that would have seen plenty of black and white sides of old crumble. The 2023 oil-fuelled version, though, is different.
These days there is a belief and, perhaps even more importantly, a backbone about Newcastle.
A confidence that even when things aren’t going to plan, even when they aren’t producing the flowing, fluent football manager Howe demands, they will find a way.
They have a spirit, a sense of the streetwise, a savvy-ness…and on occasions a spite. Just ask Ruben Dias.
Twice he was on the receiving end of late and, in the one instance at least, ludicrous snaps from Anthony Gordon.
To be honest Newcastle’s Scouse winger was lucky only to see yellow for the first, leaving a late foot in on the City centre back.
When he produced another only slightly less naughty ten minutes after the break – a challenge that referee Rob Jones frankly bottled out of punishing – Howe gave him the hook.
Not that sub Harvey Barnes failed to fill his boots, mind. Within two minutes he was in the book as well for hauling back Kyle Walker.
Yet they were still only a goal down. They were still in touching distance. They could still head home with something.
Certainly with City – and, amazingly, Erling Haaland in particular – for once not finding a laser-guided route to goal.
Twice Haaland had a clear sight, and twice he failed to make proper contact as he dragged left footed strikes wide.
Then a magnificent last-ditch sliding challenge from Fabian Schar denied him, just as the Striking Viking saw the whites of the Newcastle goal.
When Haaland did finally get a decent strike in, with his right foot, Pope came up with a stonewall block with his and another chance went begging.
And as each opening came and went, so the tension grew amongst home fans and hope rose with the visiting ones.
It should really have come to something when Rodri, of all people, gave the ball away and the Toon had an advantage in numbers as they broke.
Yet Barnes chose to shoot with others screaming for a pass, Ederson dropped to his left to save, and the opportunity passed.
It was to be the last genuine sight of the City goal Newcastle managed, for all nerves were frayed almost to breaking point by the final whistle.
For the Toon it was definitely a chance missed. For City another glimpse of why they are champions.
Far from at their best, but still too good for a side with dreams of nicking their crown. No chance…
You can read how the game unfolded in our blog below…