Newcastle v Man City LIVE: Premier League result and reaction after Oscar Bobb scores last-gasp winner
Newcastle 2-3 Man City: Pep Guardiola’s men fought from behind to win at St James’ Park
Kevin de Bruyne came back from injury to inspire Manchester City to victory as they came from behind to secure a 3-2 win over Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
Eddie Howe’s side have lost their last three league matches and fallen away from the top-four race, but they were unable to hold on to a 2-1 lead once De Bruyne stepped onto the field.
Bernardo Silva’s opener was quickly cancelled out by two goals in two-and-a-half minutes from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon.
But once De Bruyne was brought on for Silva in the second half, City grasped control of the match and were able to fight their way back into the game.
De Bruyne scored the equaliser himself, before Oscar Bobb stepped up in stoppage time to secure all three points for the visitors.
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Match report
Here is the match report from The Independent’s senior football correspondent Richard Jolly:
Enter Kevin de Bruyne. To a match Newcastle were winning, and to a title race where Manchester City threatened to slip off the pace. He had not played in the Premier League for five months. Within five minutes there was his belated first goal of the season, and within another 17 a pass to permit Oscar Bobb to score an injury-time winner, complete the second turnaround of a stunning game and put City a mere two points behind Liverpool. No wonder Pep Guardiola says there are few in the world with his ability to win games. This one was being lost without him, won with him. The theory that City will be better in the second half of the season has long been based around the Belgian but it was an illustration of how and why, of the class that can elevate him above even outstanding players.
Kevin de Bruyne’s three-point-turn can spark Manchester City’s title race into life
Newcastle 2-3 Manchester City: Kevin de Bruyne inspired Pep Guardiola’s side to victory at St James’ Park
FT: Newcastle 2-3 Man City
Eddie Howe added: “We had chances in the game, the first half was maybe a bit of a slow start but we came into the match and scored the two goals, we could have potentially scored more, limited chances in the second half. I think there were a couple of counter attacks that ended in opportunities for us, but the quality in the end I think the substitution of De Bruyne, a world-class player, he’s scored one and he’s assisted one and he’s made the difference really.”
On four Premier League defeats in a row: “I think we’ve just got to continue from the same vein really, there’s not a lot wrong with our performances we’re just not putting it together for the whole 90 minutes so I think you could see today we were a top team in moments and phases of the game but to win games you need to do it for the whole game and we just weren’t able to physically today.”
FT: Newcastle 2-3 Man City
Eddie Howe said to TNT Sports: “A difficult second half, to start with I thought we were a real threat in the game, it was end-to-end and I was really pleased with our attitude and how we approached the game.
“The second half was more difficult and the end of the game was really painful.”
FT: Newcastle 2-3 Man City
Kevin de Bruyne added on his absence and missing football: "The beginning is a big blow but I'm not someone who stands still. I enjoyed myself being able to do things I could never do. I worked hard to come back."
On finding form: "I hope so. I know I need to keep working hard and get sharpness."
FT: Newcastle 2-3 Man City
Kevin de Bruyne said on making an impact from the bench: "I don't know what to expect, I've never experienced this. I worked really hard and had to change a couple of things. When you play all of the time, it's very hard to change things."
On the game feeling like a final: "I think to come here is always difficult. Everyone was really happy for me. We want to try and compete for the league again. We are up there. It was a tough game."
FT: Newcastle 2-3 Man City
On whether he prefers a goal or an assist, De Bruyne said: “I think the way that I play it’s just...obviously it’s great to score the goal.
“The ball (for the assist) is good, but the run from Oscar is amazing because he goes behind Trippier and gets it under control at that pace and going around the keeper in the last minute is tough.
“I look at his run, if he doesn’t run I can’t pass the ball, so his run dictates what I can do and then I tried to do my best.”
FT: Newcastle 2-3 Man City
Kevin de Bruyne to TNT Sports: “I’m dead honestly. It was crazy.
“I missed this you know. It is what it is, I had a big injury and I needed the time and I enjoyed myself but I worked hard to come in this stage and in this environment.
“To be fair it was more willpower than anything else it was crazy.”
When asked about his sharpness following so long out, he said: “I think it’s more willpower than sharpness, I know I’m not able to do that for 90 minutes at the moment. But I know I can put in a shift for 20 or 25 minutes at full pace, I feel it in my lungs the cold but it can’t be any better than this.”
FT: Newcastle 2-3 Man City
Oscar Bobb said to TNT Sports after the game: “Amazing feeling, just watching from the bench it was such a high tempo match and the manager told me to ‘go and score’ so thankfully I could.
On scoring: “It’s a lifelong dream and to do it with the best team in the world I can’t explain it.
“We could hear them (the fans) all game and they helped us a lot today and this win is for them.”
On De Bruyne’s ball for his winner: “I said thank you to him after and he’s the only one in the world who can do that so it’s great.”
FT: Newcastle 2-3 Man City
Stay tuned for all the post-match reaction from St James’ Park.
FT: Newcastle 2-3 Man City
Full time: Newcastle fought their way back into the game after going behind, but it was Manchester City’s substitutes and Kevin de Bruyne who made the difference as they came back in the second half.
De Bruyne levelled the match and then set up the winner to secure the win for City, while injury-ravaged Newcastle were unable to have the same impact with their own limited options from the bench.
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