For at least 20 hours or so, the gap between both Manchester City and Arsenal at the top of the Premier League title will sit at just two points, after Pep Guardiola’s conquered Newcastle United after help from a Nico O’Reilly double.
Arsenal’s wobble at Wolves on Wednesday granted Guardiola and his players the opportunity to narrow that gap and, after scoring twice in a rather dominant first-half showing, O’Reilly thrust City into a commanding position in the title race despite still sitting below Mikel Arteta’s side.
A 14th-minute strike, complimented with a header only 13 minutes later, gave City a merited advantage but not without the potential of a comeback from the Magpies, who equalised between O’Reilly’s goals through Lewis Hall.
In addition to his strike, Dan Burn thought he had made it 2-2 with three minutes to spare before the interval, but was found in an offside position which, from there onwards, was the only real chance Newcastle had of scoring.
Story of the Match
Ahead of kick-off, the 1976 League Cup winners welcomed both teams out onto the pitch ahead of this meeting, which was a repeat of this meeting on a historic day when Dennis Tueart helped City win it with an overhead kick.
Indeed, this was another game between the pair which means they will face each other at least five times this season having already played once in the league — this being the reverse fixture — twice in the Carabao Cup, and an FA Cup fifth round tie scheduled in two weeks’ time.
Nonetheless, City started well and three corners in as many minutes built momentum for Guardiola’s troupe yet, although nothing came of them, there was clear evidence that Newcastle were groggy.
Burn thought he scored a second Newcastle equaliser but was found offside (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
That was helped when Burn received a yellow card after tugging on Erling Haaland’s shirt at the halfway line before giving the referee, Thomas Bramall, a mouthful.
Shortly after the game exceeded the 10-minute mark, City were asking questions of Newcastle’s defence but couldn’t find the ability to produce a successful final touch. That was until O’Reilly, starting in midfield once more, scored twice inside 27 stellar minutes individually.
His first weighed heavily on Omar Marmoush’s ability, and success, in shrugging Kieran Trippier off the ball when in the centre, before the Egyptian released the ball, luring O’Reilly to dispatch from the edge of the area on the left; his strike drifted away from the diving Nick Pope, whose touch only helped the ball in at the bottom corner.
Of course, the City academy graduate began his career in attacking midfield but has shifted into left-back across his first professional seasons at the Etihad club. Still, his second was a display of the strengths he possesses in both positions, heading in from a wonderfully weighted cross by Haaland.
Hall levelled the scoring before O'Reilly netted his second five minutes later (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Just five minutes before O’Reilly scored his brace, Newcastle kickstarted their bid to comeback and complete a top-flight league double against City for the first time since the 1955-56 campaign, which came in the form of an equaliser by Lewis Hall, whose strike after 22 minutes deflected off Rayan Ait-Nouri and nestled into the bottom corner.
After 42 minutes, at 2-1, Sandro Tonali crossed excellently but, having failed to compete with the height, Ruben Dias had no other choice but to nudge Dan Burn into an offside position, which paid off when the Newcastle defender’s header went into the net.
A second-half struggle for City nearly saw Howe’s side level the scoreline out but as strong and confident as Newcastle’s attack will be - especially after a 6-1 win over Qarabag in midweek - Marc Guehi, alongside the rest of the City defence, proved to be pivotal. Now the pressure is on Arsenal, who face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday in a game that could define the Premier League title race.