Manchester City vs Newcastle: Kyle Walker’s thunderbolt carries champions past stubborn Magpies

Manchester City 2-1 Newcastle United: A sublime, clean-cut Walker strike from range restored the one-goal advantage established by Raheem Sterling's brilliant, curled opener

When DeAndre Yedlin found an unlikely leveller for Newcastle United on the half-hour mark, it briefly seemed as if Manchester City might drop two points for the second consecutive weekend and cause the pundits up and down the country to reconsider their pre-season predictions of another Pep Guardiola procession towards the Premier League title.

Indeed, like after last Saturday's draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers, there were enough miscues to suggest that, despite their undeniable excellence, City may not have it all their own way. Yet a sublime, clean-cut Kyle Walker strike from range at the start of the second half restored the one-goal advantage established by Raheem Sterling's brilliant, curled opener and marked the 10th anniversary of Sheikh Mansour's takeover with a win.

City were not at their dazzling best but were still dominant, as they invariably are against the top-flight's lesser sides, and that dominance often proves more than enough to see them over the line. The reigning, record-breaking champions will not be worried that they enter the first international break two points off the early pace-setters, though after Yedlin's first-half scare, will also be relieved they are no further behind.

One pre-match point of intrigue was Leroy Sané's omission from the matchday squad, apparently due to reservations about his attitude in training. Last year’s PFA Young Player of the Year is yet to start a game for City this season, having been left out of Germany’s World Cup squad amid similar concerns about his level of application.

Newcastle, meanwhile, were expected to employ the same ultra-conservative approach that was labelled "embarrassing" after the late defeat to Chelsea last week. Benitez adopted the same tactics against City last season, going down at both St James' Park and the Etihad. The pre-match price of 25/1 for an away victory said everything about their chances of success this time around.

If Benitez's plan was to work, mistakes had to be kept to a minimum. Jamaal Lascelles could not, for example, afford to misplace a sloppy pass deep in his own half after just seven minutes. Benjamin Mendy pounced on the Newcastle captain's error and released Sterling who, on his 100th Premier League appearance for City, cut inside from the left and bent the ball around visiting goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

Kyle Walker slams a shot into the bottom corner (AP)

It was still early, of course, but given Newcastle's conservatism and City's sheer dominance, the result already seemed settled. This is not the 'Typical City' bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group a decade ago and leads are rarely relinquished at the Etihad nowadays. Still, the club's tendency for the tragicomic rears its head every so often and so it did on the half-hour mark.

On a rare counter-attack, Newcastle managed to pick their way through a City defence that was either too slow or too disinterested to fall back into a coherent shape. Kenedy's delicate touch allowed him to lay the ball off to Salomon Rondon out on the left and the Venezuelan, on loan from second-tier West Bromwich Albion, slid an inch-perfect square pass to the far post. Yedlin, having evaded Gabriel Jesus' leisurely attempt at marking, applied the simple finish.

Kyle Walker celebrates his second-half strike (AFP/Getty Images)

Guardiola's side may have enjoyed three-quarters of the ball but as it stood, the spoils would be shared evenly. It was a reminder that, for all the debate about Benitez's backs-to-the-wall approach, Newcastle boasted a better record against 'top six' sides last season than any team that finished below them. The visitors' low block repelled and restricted City for the remainder of the half and their supporters spent the interval daydreaming of an unlikely point.

Seven minutes into the second half, however, the first goal of Walker's City career sent a sledgehammer to that building sense of hope. The emphatic drive into the bottom left-hand corner could hardly have been hit sweeter, flying low and true from around 25 yards out, through Benitez's mass of black-and-white bodies. Sergio Aguero, scorer of 14 goals in 11 league games against Newcastle, was the provider for once.

DeAndre Yedlin celebrates his equaliser for Newcastle (Getty Images)

City could and would have extended their lead shortly after the hour mark if not for the athleticism and fast reactions that have made Dubravka so popular on Tyneside. The Slovak, signed permanently this summer after impressing on loan from Sparta Prague last season, first denied Fernandinho then twice prevented David Silva from adding City's third with a remarkable triple-save.

Silva went close at the far post a few minutes later, yet failed to make enough of a connection of Riyad Mahrez's cross. Newcastle could not conjure up another dangerous counter and as the minutes ebbed away, began to look vulnerable again. Aguero sought to add to that excellent personal record he has against these opponents, darting through in stoppage time, but his attempt was wide thanks to pressure from Dubravka.