A massive win at St James’ Park, a sensational performance and a timely reminder of how good Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United can be at their best.
After coming away from the first half wondering how we weren’t ahead, we rallied in the second and responded to setbacks superbly as a Harvey Barnes brace saw us take all three points in a vital bounce-back win after back-to-back defeats at Brentford and West Ham.
We were so much better in every department. That high-intensity press was back, we created chances for Nick Woltemade, we were much improved defensively and the return of Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall was huge.
The result moves us up to 15 points, keeping us 14th but moving us closer to those cluster of European rivals in the top 10 on 18 points. Hopefully this can be the win that kickstarts a strong run as we head into a hectic run of games to end 2025, with Marseille, Everton and Spurs all to come in the next 10 days.
Newcastle XI: Pope – Livramento, Thiaw, Schar, Hall – Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton – Murphy, Woltemade, Barnes. Subs: Ramsdale, Ruddy, Botman, Elanga, Willock, A.Murphy, Ramsey, Neave, Miley.
Howe resisted the temptation to drop Pope for Ramsdale, but we did see three changes as Schar, Livramento and Hall came in for a benched Botman, absent Trippier (minor hamstring) and suspended Burn.
The first half was fast paced and full of big chances, with both sides spurning massive opportunities to take the lead, summed up by a mad first two minutes as Barnes and Haaland both missed one-on-ones after failing to punish early errors.
Woltemade could’ve had two, but saw one free header and a low strike both saved by Donnarumma. After the big Nick was prolific over the break for Germany, he had to do better. Yet those weren’t even the biggest misses in a barmy first 45!
After Tonali, Bruno and Murphy combined brilliantly, the latter picked out Barnes at the back post. He had to score, the goal was gaping…but he fired wide! Our fourth big chance of the first half missed, and it was very nearly punished at the other end, where Pope denied Haaland with a huge block and Foden somehow dragged wide when all of the Gallowgate expected him to score.
As many of us hoped and predicted, Hall and Livramento added so much energy, width and zip to our play, helping support the wingers, offering a constant outball and helping build quick patterns of play that simply weren’t possible with Burn (33) and Trippier (35).
Attacking the Gallowgate, a huge half of football awaited, and boy did we deliver, with Thiaw kicking things off with a superb piece of defending as he stood up to Haaland and picked his pocket expertly as the big Norwegian threatened to pull the trigger.
City did start the second 45 with more purpose and were starting to push us back, but it was Newcastle who struck first thanks to Bruno’s sensational run and an equally brilliant finish from Barnes, who made up for first half misses by curling into the corner past the giant Donnarrumma.
St James’ Park was in great voice and we’d finally found a way past the big City stopper, only to concede just five minutes later as Ruben Dias’ fired home after a scramble in the box fell to the Portuguese centre-back.
An immediate response that threatened to burst our bubble, but we were having none of it and hit back in minutes. A partially cleared corner saw Murphy swing the ball back into the box, Woltemade head across goal and Bruno hit the bar before Barnes scrambled the ball in from just a few yards out!
The stadium erupted and we were back ahead, only this time we’d hold on for a massive win and Howe’s very first Premier League victory over a Pep Guardiola side, along with his 100th as Newcastle boss!
Hall went off with cramp, we shifted to a back five and we saw Joelinton take one for the team with a cynical yellow card, as City threw on attackers but found no way through a black and white wall that had every man behind the ball as we saw out eight minutes of added time.
A huge win, a Howe masterclass, a team that looked transformed from the return of our best two full-backs and one that rediscovered its identity in a much-needed response to our recent slump.
Up next, Marseille away on Tuesday in the Champions League before a trip to Everton in the league next Saturday.
HOWAY THE LADS!
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