Anthony Gordon’s second-half penalty secured a valuable point for Newcastle United as they held Manchester City to a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park.
City took the lead after 35 minutes when Josko Gvardiol smartly finished from a Jack Grealish lay-off. Despite City’s dominance in the first half, they were unable to extend their advantage, with Ilkay Gundogan missing a golden opportunity after a wayward clearance from Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope left him stranded outside his goal.
Newcastle capitalized on City’s vulnerability early in the second half. Bruno Guimaraes threaded a brilliant pass through City’s defense, and Kyle Walker inadvertently played Anthony Gordon onside.
The forward was brought down by City goalkeeper Ederson, who was subsequently booked. Gordon stepped up and calmly slotted the penalty, sending Ederson the wrong way to level the score.
Both teams pushed for a winner, with Newcastle substitute Sean Longstaff and City’s Bernardo Silva both going close in the dying minutes, but neither side could break the deadlock.
This result leaves Newcastle with only one win in their last 34 Premier League meetings with Manchester City, while Pep Guardiola’s side have now dropped four points in the space of a week after previously enjoying a perfect start to the season.
City’s recent struggles come in the absence of influential midfielder Rodri, sidelined for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.
Although Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis filled in admirably, Rodri’s absence was keenly felt, especially in City’s loss of control during key moments of the game.
Guardiola’s praise for Josko Gvardiol, who joined City for £73 million last summer, highlights the defender’s growing importance.
The 22-year-old Croatia international, known for his versatility and accurate left foot, has played every minute of City’s Premier League and Champions League campaigns this season, and his performance against Newcastle once again underlined his significant contribution.
Despite Gvardiol’s strong form, City will need to regain their composure quickly as they aim to avoid further slips in their pursuit of the Premier League title.
