Here is a point Manchester City will not celebrate. Newcastle will, and so they should after a performance that recaptured the values so central to their identity. They would have won with a striker on the pitch.
But for City, six days on from the relief and exultation of salvaging a 98th-minute draw at home to Arsenal, this will feel like two points dropped. It has to, when Arsenal showed how likely they are to push them all the way this season.
Erling Haaland did not score for the first time in the Premier League this term and, for too long, he was left strangely isolated.
One criticism of Newcastle this season is that their trademark patterns and partnerships have been missing, and the same could be said of City here. Dangerous? Always, evidenced by their goal in taking a first-half lead against the run of play. But cohesive and in control? Far from it.
It was telling when, with the score at 1-1 in the 81st minute, Pep Guardiola abandoned faith in the patience of his side’s approach when sending on speed merchants Jeremy Doku and Savinho.
Anthony Gordon scored a second-half equaliser from the penalty spot for Newcastle
Gordon was tripped by Ederson before picking himself up to slot home from the spot
Gordon’s penalty earned a deserved point for Eddie Howe’s men as they bounced back from a disappointing loss at Fulham last weekend
The double change certainly quickened City’s step – they’d had one shot on target to that point in the second half – but there weren’t enough yards of the race left to run. Newcastle resisted – Haaland looked dwarfed by minders Fabian Schar and Dan Burn – and so they gained a point and made one at the same time.
Last weekend’s 3-1 defeat at Fulham was, even by the admission of head coach Eddie Howe, among the worst displays of his near three years at the club. There were some home truths shared at the training ground this week and what followed was a performance of honesty, intensity and endeavour.
Had Alexander Isak played, one point may have been three. He was missing with a toe injury and while deputy Anthony Gordon did win and convert a second-half penalty, there were spells when Newcastle were on top but failed to translate that into chances, let alone goals.
But Howe had demanded a response and he got one. Not just for five minutes, either. Newcastle have a tendency to start well before unravelling or drifting, at least this season. Here, though, their energy and intent extended beyond the 10, 15 and 20-minute marks.
When the aggression of their press forced Haaland to spoon one pass out of play and goalkeeper Ederson into using an audacious back-heel to avoid a galloping Gordon, the home crowd were pantomime-like in their appreciation.
Were the champions rattled? Not really. Not when Ederson’s most strenuous exercise was that risky act of escapology.
Warning was served of City’s threat despite their slow opening when Haaland was denied a far-post tap-in by Kieran Trippier, sliding and colliding with the upright as he nicked from the toe of the striker.
Josko Gvardiol (left) had put Man City ahead after fine work by Jack Grealish (right)
Gvardiol produced a classy finish after Newcastle had started the better of the two teams
But City struggled to control the game and Newcastle managed to keep Erling Haaland at bay
And so Newcastle’s period of superiority reached expiry when City led in the 35th minute.
Jack Grealish, for once, decided to throw caution to the wind and it certainly threw Trippier, who was caught flat-footed as his former England team-mate danced by him on the left. Grealish found Gvardiol and the defender chopped clear of Dan Burn before rolling into the bottom corner.
It might have been two before the break. Nick Pope, lacking the conviction of opposite number Ederson, attempted to play out from the back. His pass found Ilkay Gundagon but the midfielder’s attempted chip – Pope was stranded – sailed harmlessly back into the arms of the grateful keeper.
The goal that drew Newcastle level arrived in the 58th minute. Bruno Guimaraes sprung Gordon clear after Kyle Walker played the forward onside and, when he attempted to skip around Ederson, he was caught by the Brazilian.
The contact was sufficient to send Gordon toppling and he picked himself up to send Ederson the wrong way from 12 yards.
Bernardo Silva’s late volley was well tipped over by Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope
It was a frustrating afternoon for Pep Guardiola as his side dropped points once again
The closest City came to nicking a win was in stoppage-time when Nick Pope kept out Bernardo Silva’s volley, but to lose would have been cruel on the hosts.
They celebrated the point on full-time, but more so because of a performance that was true to the qualities which have been the basis of their success in recent season. City, by contrast, were out of sorts and, unlike last weekend, out of luck.
