Eddie Howe was right. FFP does put the likes of Manchester City ahead of Newcastle. Namely, Fantastic Football Players. And namely, Kevin de Bruyne – scorer of his side’s equaliser and creator of their injury-time winner.
And how City needed their talisman to snatch victory from a game in which they had lost a lead and control. That is why Pep Guardiola turned to the Belgian, the ultimate exponent of control. Add class and composure to his list of qualities, too.
Within five minutes of De Bruyne’s second-half introduction – his first appearance since August – he had scored the sort of goal only he can score.
It was always going to take an act of ingenuity to break Newcastle’s resistance, who were ahead thanks to first-half goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon.
Just days after their hierarchy had bemoaned Financial Fair Play as the reason they are unable to compete with the likes of City, they were headed for a victory that would have been deserved for its spirit and superb finishes.
Bernardo Silva opened the scoring for the visitors at St James Park to break deadlock
De Bruyne marked a triumphant return to the Premier League with a goal and assist
Ederson was substituted off injured within the first ten minutes of play
Stefan Ortega came on for Ederson after the Brazilian shot-stopper was unable to continue
But then De Bruyne had one of his own to add to that collection. It was more like an assist, really. He strode forward and, from 20 yards, passed the ball through the legs of defender Fabian Schar and into the bottom corner.
De Bruyne is back with a new look, too. Once likened to Buzz from Home Alone, the floppy hair makes him more Kevin McCallister these days. But this was the same old superstar, even after five months out with a hamstring injury.
He was not done with his equaliser, either. And in the third added minute, he landed a pass onto the boot of substitute Oscar Bobb in the six-yard area, the Norwegian skipping around Martin Dubravka before tucking home his first Premier League goal.
It was a fitting finish to a brilliant game, and the brilliance of De Bruyne was the difference. It was end to end and side to side at times, an Oil Classico rich on talent and entertainment. Last season’s corresponding 3-3 draw, in August, was an early contender for game of the season, and this felt like an early entry for 2024.
There was drama from the off. City goalkeeper Ederson was forced off inside eight minutes. He had played on after injuring his knee trying to keep out a disallowed Newcastle goal after just 90 seconds, colliding with Kyle Walker as Sean Longstaff turned in an Isak cross. The provider, though, was offside.
But when Ederson then almost gifted a legitimate goal to the hosts he very quickly waved to be replaced. His wave towards the dugout was not as frantic as those of his team-mates, who did not fancy defending a goal with a keeper on one leg.
The Brazilian had only just cleared straight into the chest of Miguel Almiron inside the penalty area. His blushes were spared by Newcastle’s equally calamitous attempts to score – Gordon fluffing a pass to Almiron and Bruno Guimaraes swiping at fresh air. Still, off went Ederson and on came Stefan Ortega.
Come half-time, Walker had added insult to his injury of Ederson by failing to protect Ortega for the two goals that had Newcastle in front. Before that he laid on the opener for Bernardo Silva, whose back-heel flick from inside the goalmouth was sublime. But Walker will not want to see replays of Newcastle’s three-minute double. Isak and Gordon will.
Phil Foden was in disbelief at Silva’s sublime early goal to poke the visitors in front
Isak fired the hosts level after Silva had netted the opening goal to break deadlock
Silva was substituted off for De Bruyne in the 69th minute
Kevin De Bruyne celebrates scoring his team’s second goal
Gordon scored a stunning goal to put Newcastle 2-1 ahead, though it was not enough to fend off Pep Guardiola’s treble winners
Oscar Bobb celebrates with Rodri after his goal saw City take all three points on the road
Pep Guardiola looked animated at full time after his side secured a victory at St James Park
The first, on 35 minutes, came after Guimaraes swept a ball of imagination and precision behind City’s backline for Isak to chase. Walker was the only obstacle between the Swede and City’s goal and he negotiated the England defender with ease, dropping a shoulder before dropping the ball into the far corner from 18 yards.
The creation of the second was a little more simple, Dan Burn passing down the touchline to Gordon. But he, too, made the finish look easy, stepping inside Walker and finding the same square of net that Isak had only just rippled.
City were stunned. Walker looked in a daze, much like he had done in defending the goals. And Guardiola shook his head in disbelief on the touchline. His confusion was understandable, given City were excellent to that point.
Silva’s goal, on 26 minutes, was sensational and he would have had a second before the half hour had Martin Dubravka not brushed his rising volley onto the crossbar.
But they could, and should, have trailed by two entering the break. Lewis Miley sprung Isak clear but his low shot was blocked by Ortega. It was his first save of the half.
The German was a spectator at the start of the second as City pressed for parity. They would have had if not for Guimaraes taking from the toe of Foden and then Rodri inside the six-yard area in the 63rd minute.
Newcastle’s resistance broke Guardiola’s and he soon turned to De Bruyne, kept in reserve for 69 minutes. He was brought on to take a free-kick on the edge of the area and the home fans let out a mock cheer at sight of City’s apparent saviour crashing his effort into the wall.
De Bruyne, however, had the last laugh.
