AfriPulse
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Manchester City strengthened their Premier League title pursuit with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday night, ensuring they remain firmly within touching distance of leaders Arsenal.
In an intense encounter at the Etihad, City combined attacking fluency with late defensive resilience to overcome a spirited Newcastle side that threatened throughout.
City took the lead in the 14th minute when Nico O’Reilly latched onto a defence-splitting pass and calmly slotted beyond Nick Pope, rewarding the hosts’ early dominance.
Newcastle responded in the 22nd minute as Lewis Hall’s effort from the edge of the area took a deflection, wrong-footing Gianluigi Donnarumma to level the contest at 1-1.
Pep Guardiola’s men regained control five minutes later. Erling Haaland rose highest to meet a cross and directed a precise header into O’Reilly’s path, who nodded home from close range to restore City’s advantage at 2-1.
The visitors refused to retreat. Anthony Gordon tested Donnarumma with a sharp effort, while Dan Burn had a goal ruled out for offside before the interval. Joelinton and Harvey Barnes also threatened in the second half as Eddie Howe sought an equaliser.
Barnes came closest in stoppage time, unleashing a fierce strike from the edge of the box that forced a superb save from Donnarumma, preserving City’s slender lead.
City themselves squandered chances to extend their advantage late on, with Haaland and Phil Foden denied by Pope as the match opened up in the closing minutes.
The game carried an edge, with several players booked, including Bernardo Silva, Rúben Dias and Joelinton, reflecting the intensity of the contest.
Guardiola introduced fresh legs at key moments, notably bringing on Foden and Rayan Cherki to manage the tempo, while Newcastle’s substitutions injected urgency without altering the outcome.
The result keeps Manchester City firmly in the title conversation as the campaign enters a decisive phase, two points adrift Arsenal.
Source: PmNewsNigeria | Read the Full Story…
