3 Positives and 3 Negatives to take from Newcastle 2 Manchester City 1 | OneFootball

Saturday night’s match ended Newcastle 2 Manchester City 1.

Ahead of each match we ask one of our writers to come up with three positives and three negatives following the game.

Plenty to talk about after this one!

On this occasion it is ‘Matt Busby said to Joe Harvey…’:

POSITIVES

Howe over Guardiola

For the first time ever and at the ninth time of asking as manager of Newcastle United, Eddie Howe has finally put one over Pep Guardiola (in the Premier League, that is).

The Spaniard, one of the most decorated managers in Premier League history, with an embarrassment of riches at his disposal and some might say, aided and abetted by dodgy accounting practices, showing his total lack of class once again by publicly berating our captain fantastic in the middle of the park after the full time whistle.

Eddie Howe meantime, is always magnanimous in defeat, but he didn’t need to be yesterday, tactically outsmarting his counterpart in the Man City dugout for a famous victory.

I know who I’d rather have at the helm of my football club.

MOTM – Easy and yet not so easy to decide

I went for Barnes, his brace setting him apart, but honestly, could have selected a few others.

The return of Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento gave us both solidity and mobility and we needed that against a top, top team. Absolutely buzzing to see those two back in the first eleven.

In central defence, Malick Thiaw was awesome in keeping Erling Haaland quiet, which is no mean feat considering how many goals the Viking has plundered this season. What about that tackle from the German on the Norwegian in the Leazes End box in the second half?

Then there’s Bruno. What a performance. Two assists and some brilliant play in the centre of the park from our talismanic leader.

At last, we have their scalp

In Eddie’s previous eight Premier League encounters against Man City, there’s been slim pickings, Newcastle United drawing two and losing the other six, with a goal difference of minus 17.

That Carabao Cup victory in the year we didn’t reach Wembley apart, you have to go back to a freezing night in January 2019 for our last win against the oil men from Abu Dhabi, Matt Ritchie holding his nerve to slot home a penalty past Ederson ten minutes from time.

It is very difficult to beat Man City. They are so strong in every department and when you can toss the likes of Savinho, Bobb, Reijnders and Marmoush into the game when the chips are down, that tells you all you need to know about their strength in depth.

Yesterday, Newcastle United deservedly beat the Mancunians and when Joy Division’s all time classic reverberating around St James Park, it was absolutely brilliant to hear the lyrics describing how Barnes had torn Man City apart.

NEGATIVES

We should have scored more

On another day, big Nick could have scored a hat-trick and the same is true for Harvey Barnes. The fact neither didn’t notch in that pulsating first half could have proved costly.

Energy Sapping Exploits

All the lads put in a shift, and some. With Marseilles only 72 hours away, I hope we’ve still got something in the tank for our Champions League fixture on the Côte d’Azur.

We rode our luck at times

Look, the Editor forces you to find negatives in this regular post-match feature which is difficult after a performance and result like yesterday’s, but you might venture to suggest that we ride our luck, at times….

On another day, Foden would have scored. On another day, so might Haland. On another day, Man City could have been awarded a penalty, Schar on Foden and Thiaw’s ‘handball’ both being given the benefit of the doubt.

Newcastle 2 Manchester City 1 – Saturday 22 November 2025 5.30pm

Match Stats

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Barnes 63, 70

Man City:

Dias 68

Possession was Newcastle 32% Man City 68%

Total shots were Newcastle 9 Man City 17

Shots on target were Newcastle 5 Man City 4

Corners were Newcastle 5 Man City 9

Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 15 Man City 41

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