Man City vs Newcastle LIVE: Premier League result and reaction as Julian Alvarez scores winner
Manchester City 1-0 Newcastle: Julian Alvarez’s first-half goal proves enough for City to grab a second win to start the season
Julian Alvarez’s fine first-half strike handed Manchester City a hard-fought 1-0 win over Newcastle United in their first home match since winning the treble.
The World Cup winner curled a shot into the top corner after 31 minutes of a tight Premier League encounter at the Etihad Stadium and it proved enough for the champions to claim all three points.
Newcastle, buoyed by thrashing Aston Villa 5-1 in their season opener last week, had travelled in hope of claiming their first league win at City for almost 23 years. Yet the hosts, despite making just two changes following their draining European Super Cup venture in Athens in midweek, were too strong and successfully nullified Eddie Howe’s side.
Pep Guardiola’s men were far from their fluid best, but they produced a professional performance to follow up their opening win at Burnley and in Alvarez and Phil Foden they had the brightest players on the pitch.
Relive the action from the Premier League match below.
Man City 1-0 Newcastle
83 mins: Foden just ghosting past players as he brings the ball out of defence to launch a City counter. Newcastle eventually repel the attack though.
City holding possession in the Newcastle half, just waiting to see if an opening appears.
Man City 1-0 Newcastle
78 mins: End to end stuff now! Newcastle with the pressure at one end but Foden nips in to seize a loose ball from Bruno Guimaraes and speeds down the right on the counter-attack.
He tries to slide it into Haaland but Schar reads it brilliantly, cuts it out and then strides out of defence with the ball. Entertaining stuff as the spaces start to open up.
Man City 1-0 Newcastle
76 mins: Anderson whips a ball in from the right that runs through and Trippier then follows that with a dangerous ball of his own. A bit of sustained pressure from Newcastle.
Almiron does well to keep the ball in over in the corner but City hold firm defensively.
Man City 1-0 Newcastle
74 mins: Newcastle may have to start throwing caution to the wind at some point. City are starting to enter game management mode as they look to kill this off.
Man City 1-0 Newcastle
70 mins: As long as it stays 1-0, Newcastle are still in this.
As if to prove that point – City give the ball away in midfield, Rodri caught in possession, and Callum Wilson runs at the defence in what is a two-on-one. He should slip the ball to his right to the onrushing Almiron but tries to cut to the left, allowing Gvardiol to get a foot in. Barnes then strikes the loose ball but it’s straight at Ederson.
In the aftermath, Bruno Guimaraes goes in hard on Phil Foden and is booked.
Man City 1-0 Newcastle
66 mins: Two more subs for Newcastle. Alexander Isak and Sandro Tonali - both of whom have been far quieter than they were against Villa in the season opener - come off, with Callum Wilson and Elliot Anderson coming on.
SAVE! Man City 1-0 Newcastle
64 mins: The Foden-Haaland connection almost does it again! Foden again the creator as he runs at the Magpies and finds Haaland around the edge of the box.
The striker drops a shoulder and goes outside, strikes cleanly at goal but Nick Pope can save with his foot. Foden really has been electric this evening.
MISS! Man City 1-0 Newcastle
63 mins: You think Haaland has to score! Phil Foden has lit up the Etihad this evening and he links up with Alvarez in the centre, glides forward with the ball and slips it into Haaland’s feet.
The Norwegian turns Botman inside out and gets a shot off with his left foot but doesn’t hit it cleanly and it bobbles wide
Man City 1-0 Newcastle
59 mins: Incredible defending by Schar! It’s superb by Haaland who moves himself into some space and slips a gorgeous ball into Haaland but Schar slides in form behind, hooks his leg round and pushes the ball away.
Great recovery defence by the Swiss star just as Haaland was prepared to lash that ball home.
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