Which means that’s us. Thanks for your company and comments – sorry I didn’t get to them all – but enjoy the rest of the weekend. Love.
Updated
And here’s Louise Taylor’s match report.
City drawing, will, of course, cheer those hoping Liverpool win the title. I’m hoping that what we’ve see this afternoon is a portent of what’s to come – those two have accumulated more points than is healthy for a league these last few seasons. Hopefully we see something different this, with so many teams with so many good players.
Trippier begins an interview with “Like I say,” having not said anything. Yes! In fairness, I think he’s referring to something he said pre-match about his team being able to compete, noting that they’re disappointed not to have won. Then Saint-Maximin explains that he’s improved a lot, taking advice off “my friend”, Trippier, who’s played for Atleti and in the World Cups. Trippier, we learn, told Saint-Maximin walking off that he has to realise the ability he’s got because he’s top quality and gets the fans off their seats – he’s just got to find the consistency.
On the free-kick, Trippier says he fancied himself as he always does, and on the not-red, explains that he’d never try and injure anyone, but will do anything for his team. He thinks his mates have improved a lot, but will improve further, then hands Saint-Maximin his player of the match award.
“Football is better now simply because it’s global and you see the best players in the world play each other far more frequently in much higher stakes games,” says Joseph Harvey. “You’d have been lucky to see the South Americans on the field now twice in their careers if you were lucky. You’d never see the African or Asian players – and you can’t argue that Salah and Son make the game worse. There are some downsides – people suggest the Argentine leagues are on the verge of collapse, for instance.”
Yes, agree – though my list of downsides would be much longer.
It’s not going well at London Stadium, but it is at the Amex.
Elsewhere:
I mean it was, but Leeds were all over Chelsea even before it.
“Can somebody please explain to me how Rodri hasn’t received a single yellow card for the mountain of yellow-worthy fouls he has committed?” asks Khalid Karamali.
I believe he’s now benefiting from what’s known as the Fernandinho free pass.
Credit to Eddie Howe, who’s got his team playing with confidence and verve. They’ll be disappointed not to have protected their two-goal lead a little longer, but their goalkeeper had a really good game and they might well have lost. In a sense, though, it doesn’t matter: for Newcastle, this match will be a staging post that tells them, and the rest of the league, that they’re coming.
So Arsenal are now the only team in England with a 100% record; they top the Prem, with City two points behind in second and Newcastle six, a further two points behind them.
Full-time: Newcastle United 3-3 Manchester City
Thus endeth another terrific episode of This LeagueTM.
Updated
90+8 min Well done referee for stopping the watch for the injury-time stoppages. Bernardo launches a cross, and Pope claims again.
90+7 min Foden beats Krafth on the outside but overhits his cross, and when Walker slings it back in, Pope claims. That should be that…
90+6 min Foden pulls wide and drills a decent low cross that misses everyone … bar Bernardo, who catches it very nicely with his laces … but someone, Trippier I think, blocks it at source.
90+4 min Burn who seems to have a hurt face, looks like he’s coming off for Matt Ritchie, but it’s actually Saint-Maximin’s number held up. Presumably the bench don’t know the medical team’s verdict, but they quickly adjust, sitting Ritchie down and sending Krafth on instead. Ouch. To accommodate him, Trippier moves to left-back.
90+2 min Joelinton, who’s been really good today, thinks he should’ve had a free-kick when Rodri turns him into a climbing frame, so when Haaland breaks away, he slides in and applies the clatter; he’s booked.
90+1 min But again, his delivery is off, and this time when the ball comes back, Pope catches easily.
90+1 min Foden’s corner misses everyone, but when the ball comes back, Wood flicks behind to offer him another opportunity.
90 min There’ll be five additional minutes.
90 min Foden, who’s had a quiet second half given the run of play, wins a corner down the left which he’ll take himself…
88 min Pope has been so good today. De Bruyne slides a fine pass in behind to meet the run of Gundogan, and the keeper is out quickly to dive at his feet, taking ball on pane of penalty.
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85 min “Football is better! But is it better?” wonders Dan Hogg. “Great topic. I agree with you that footballers are better, for all the reasons you give. But at what cost? Is it also more anodyne than it used to be? Sure, you get the occasional game like this one. But, because tactics are too good, those games are rarer than they used to be, upsets are rarer, and the players all look the same: 1.80m, 75kg and superfit rather than fat, thin, small, big, quick, slow. The differences have been minimised.”
I’m not sure – I agree that you now have to be fit, but you still get all types of body within that – Guardiola, for example, loves small lads in midfield, and I think the quality of athletes means we’re seeing faster, more chaotic games than before – between the best teams, but also sometimes when they play less good ones because, as wth Newcastle, they’ve attackers able to cause problems.
83 min Excellent from Wood, who wins the corner at the back post, knocking down for Botman, who has time to visualise the headlines once he’s despatched a volley into the Gallowgate net, before inepting over the bar.
83 min I take it back, the ref gave a corner – prior to which, Murphy replaces Almiron.
82 min Joelinton works the ball clear to Saint-Maximin, who finds Guimaraes who feeds Longstaff down the right. But his cross is blocked back into him, so the chance goes, but Newcastle aren’t just trying to stay in this, they’re going for the win.
80 min It’s all City now; do Newcastle have the minerals to hang on? This is actually a good test for Botman, signed to improve their defence – especially given he was at fault for City’s equaliser.
78 min City send the ball whizzing from hither to yon, and De Bruyne, who’s been quietly gorgeous today, sends it wide to Gundogan, and in the repechage that follows his cross, Haaland shanks over the bar.
76 min THE RED CARD IS WITHDRAWN! TRIPPIER STAYS ON!
Trippy-kye-ai, motherfriend! I think that’s the right call, and good on Gillett for correcting himself – it wasn’t worthy of expulsion, for mine, the yellow he now has enough punishment, and should get us some decent needle in what’s left of the game.
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74 min Jarrod Gillett is checking VAR!
RED CARD! Kieran Trippier fouls Kevin de Bruyne and is sent off!
De Bruyne rushes past Trippier, who slides into a trip (ier), playground-style. The ref thinks it’s a baddun, but I think that’s harsh – it was cynical, but not dangerous.
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72 min Beautiful from Saint-Maximin, again beating his man before playing a one-two off the excellent Joelinton. What words those are to type! But the eventuating cut-back has too much on it, and City get the ball away.
71 min Haaland loses his man and slips Gundogan through; again Pope saves, but then the flag goes up. City have all the momentum now, and experience tells us they win from here – but Newcastle still have a puncher’s chance.
70 min Double change for Newcastle, Longstaff and Wood replacing Willock and Wilson.
68 min “I would like to challenge your assertion that ‘there’s never been more briliant footballers in the world’, emails Rod Wooden. “Isn’t that because of the media saturation that players get in the modern game? Every generation thinks that its footballers are or were the best, but those of us who lived in past eras don’t have anywhere near as much evidence to prove it. For example what about those who played in the so-called Match of the Century at Wembley in November 1953, including Stanley Matthews and Alf Ramsey for England, and Puskas, Hidegkuti and Kocsis for Hungary? And then in the return game six months later there were Ivor Broadis and Tom Finney. (In both games England got hammered incidentally). And that was just in two teams! Every generation has its greats, not just this one.”
Those are all great players, but they were the two best teams in the world at the time so you’d expect that. I’d saying that the Premier League, and football in general, has never had so many good players – not that the ones we have now are the best, just that, as more people want to play the game, there’s more money in it, and better methods of coaching, there are more who are good at it.
68 min Pope is now up and the game is back under way.
66 min Pope is down with some kind of knack. On the touchline, Guardiola gesticulates in familiar style, like the air traffic controller in Jimbo and the Jet Set.
GOAL! Newcastle United 3-3 Manchester City (Bernardo Silva 64)
City work the ball across the face of the box from right to centre, and when De Bruyne is given space and time, he invents a new dimension, sliding a lovely ball between Willock’s ankles as Botman dreams of pease pudding, and Bernardo takes it well before guiding a smart finish past Pope. And we’ve still got 25 minutes to go!
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63 min AND HERE COME CITY AGAIN! De Bruyne sends Haaland through, and he’s in! But Pope is out so quickly to capitalise on a slightly heavy touch, saving the rushed finish with his feet – again. He’s been very good today.
Updated
GOAL! Newcastle United 2-3 Manchester City (Haaland 60)
Death, taxes and the Soccermonster! This time, the corner goes short to De Bruyne, who curls towards the far post, and as soon as that happens, Haaland makes his way to the front post, turning back Rodri’s turn-back in on the volley! What a game this is.
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60 min Dias is first to the header, but plants it straight at Pope, who saves by way of volleyball set. He should’ve scored, but City win another corner…
60 min Gundogan, who, I think, has been out-athleticked by Newcastle’s midfield, crosses from the left and Schar slides it behind. Good defending, though he’s holding a hammy now.
58 min Saint-Maximin has been an absolute joy today. OK, he always is, but this has been a performance of adult maturity as well as teenage abandon. City just cannot handle him.
57 min “Worth remembering Serie A was two points for a win in the early 90s,” tweets Jim Glodkowski, “so teams were more incentivised to defend well. ‘Respect the point’ as Allardyce would say.”
Totally, no dissing coming from these parts. I’m just saying that there are more good attackers to go round now than previously.
56 min This is now a massive test for City, who’ve been totally undone since taking the lead. Newcastle have played with suck intent and intensity today; if they keep it up, this could get silly, though of course we can’t write City off.
OY MY ABSOLUTE DAYS WHAT A GOAL! Newcastle United 3-1 Manchester City (Trippier 54)
The City reject whips a sensational outswinging free-kick over the wall, howling, hissing and shrieking into the top-left! What a goal, and what a moment!
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53 min Saint-Maximin runs across Stones, who hacks him down; free-kick Newcastle, almost dead centre, roundabout 25 yards out. If Tripper been able to pick where to shoot from, he’d have put the ball here.
52 min Foden finds Cancelo who transfers on to Haaland, 25 yards out, and as the ball passes across his body, a perfect first touch takes him away from Botman – that is lovely. We know what’s coming next too, but no one can do anything about it: Haaland opens his body, curves a early low shot … and it spanks the foot of the post, the rebound eluding all those following in.
50 min “As much as I’ll never forget ‘dirty Leeds and feel ill about the Saudi takeover of Newcastle,” emails Gene Salorio, “it is absolutely spectacular to see their two stadiums rocking, especially St James’ Park. Fans of both teams deserve it.”
I don’t exactly think any fan deserves anything, but agree these are two amphitheatres of football and that the people inside them are setting them off.
48 min Joelinton launches into another midfield challenge, wins it, and sends Saint-Maximin back tormenting Walker; Walker knocks him down, but the resultant free-kick, swung in by Trippier, is well-met by Rodri, who heads then hoofs away.
46 min Eddie Howe seems to be wearing a lycra polo shirt, a size too small, with all buttons done up. He may also have done some press-ps to get his pump on, Geordie Shore-style.
46 min We go again!
I wrote about that – and four other ideas – more fully here.
“Curious as to why you’re ‘pleased’ that an obvious foul wasn’t given,” asks Daniel Stones.
Because I’d not want VAR intervening in that kind of instance, because I want to watch a physical game in which players aren’t feart of challenging, and because I think that the penalty law is ridiculous – I say this on here a lot, but it makes much more sense to me for any foul, anywhere on the pitch, that denies a goalscoring opportunity, to earn a penalty. Other hand, for a near-certain goal to be given for what we just saw or similar – given how hard it is to score – makes no sense to me. I’d give a direct free-kick for any in-box infringement that doesn’t deny a scoring chance.
“I’d put the Serie A of the 90s up against the modern Premier League when it comes to an absurd hoarding of world talent,” says Kári Tulinius, “though admittedly, giving the prowess of the defenders, the games could be more chess-like than the harum-scarum of the English game. Mind you Zdenek Zeman did his best to add chaos to proceedings.”
As a child of the Football Italia and Transworld Sport era, I’d agree. The difference now, I think, is that there are more good players than then, way more and, as you imply, the overwhelming majority of them are attackers or of attacking inclination.
Half-time email: “Bit unfair to credit Guardiola for Rodri’s form,” asserts Yash Gupta. “He was already a world class player at Atletico under Simeone and was considered a long term better replacement for Busquets in Spanish national team and even at Barcelona due to mandatory reasonable release clause. Thanks to the shenanigans of Barcelona, Manchester City signed him by paying his release clause. If anything it took longer for him to show his true form in England but it is on the same level as he was displaying at Atleti.”
I disagree – I think he’s a much better player now than he was then, though you could see how good he might get.
Half-time: Newcastle United 2-1 Manchester City
Just a brilliant half of “this league” action; there’s simply nothing like it, which is why we are where we are.
45+3 min Contesting a high ball, Stones flattens Schar via extended arm. VAR says no penalty and I’m pleased, but I’d be interested – well, not interested but you know what I mean – to see the working, because my understanding of the laws says that’s a foul.
45+2 min Cheers from the crowd as, expecting time to deal with a punt for the corner, Joelinton charges him and wins a corner. This time, Ederson punches clear.
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45 min There’ll be three added minutes. I daresay the SJP concourses will be lively at the break.
44 min It’s such a state of affairs, isn’t it? Everything we’ve seen so far this season – a ridiculous surfeit of exciting games – is exactly why our two clubs in this one are owned by who they’re owned by. Thus does a virtous circle become a vicious one.
42 min “It seems that this could be one of the most exciting seasons in the last 10 years or so,” emails Bogdan Kotarlic. “I know that it is said every year but this season it is a genuinely possible, a lot of good teams, there will be a real fight for every place in the table…”
I agree. There’ve never been more brilliant footballers in the world, and because there’s more money in England than elsewhere, more play in the Prem than anywhere else. So every team has talent to hurt every other team, and if all else fails, there’s always Man United for comedic distraction.
40 min City are getting absolutely worked here. Credit to Howe for devising a plan to take the game to the champions, rather than seeking to stay in it, and credit to his players for refusing to deviate from it even after conceding a shoddy opener.
GOAL! Newcastle United 2-1 Manchester City (Wilson 39)
OH MY DAYS! Again it’s Saint-Maximin breaking the game, finding Wilson 22 yards out, right of centre. His first touch is gorgeous, taking him across Dias and back inside, but the finish is even better, with the outside of his right foot before Ederson can set, sending the ball back across him! This is brilliant game of association football (yes, with caveats we mustn’t forget).
Updated
38 min Newcastle are breaching City’s line over and over again, a pass from I’m not sure who putting Almiron in a race with Ederson! Almiron gets there first, nicking it away from the keeper, who does well not to bring him down and get sent off; Almiron runs out of angle, so can’t get a cross off.
37 min After a quiet start, Foden’s got himself involved these last few minutes and he swings over a decent cross that Botman touches down to himself. I’m not sure why, because he’s got Gundogan up in his phizog, and gets lucky when a ricochet from their subsequent challenge loops through to Pope.
36 min “I do concur now though,” returns Ben Burrell. “Our defence were rather crap for that equaliser.”
And for most of the 35 minutes we’ve seen so far. That’s the beauty of football – add something on one area, lose it in another. There are better centre-backs than City’s but not many as good on the ball, as there are many better keepers than Ederson, none as ludicrous on the ball.
35 min I think Haaland gets a minor flick – or perhaps not – but either way, Pope punches clear.
34 min Foden dashes onto a ball down the line, nicks it away from Schar at full speed, and absorbs the sliding hack that comes his way. This time, it is a booking, and De Bruyne will curl in a free-kick from just outside the box, left-hand side.
32 min Saint-Maximin is just absolute box office – he doesn’t just want to be good, he wants to make other people look bad, for our entertainment. He wriggles by Rodri, who hacks him down and somehow avoids a card.
30 min “Centre-backs all over the PL are waking up screaming from the dreams of Haaland charging straight at them at full speed,” emails Mary Waltz. “I mean this in the best way possible, he is an absolute freak of nature.”
I was lucky enough to do a book with Kevin Pietersen a few years ago, and “freak of nature” is the phrase he and his mates – Kallis, Warne, Lara and the rest – use to describe each other. I’d take it.
GOAL! Newcastle United 1-1 Manchester City (Almiron 28)
Newcastle have earned that! They’ve been superb since going behind, fast, imaginative and brave. This is a ball-game.
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28 min Further brilliance from Saint-Maximin, luscious footwork foxing Walker and Ake, both of them now deputed to handle him. He shuffles, kicks, checks inside and crosses, there are two in the middle, and Almiron, though put off by the lunging Willock alongside him, thighs home on the stumble! He loves it, but the flag goes up; over to VAR…
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27 min The corner loops towards Botman at the back post, who wins the header and knocks down for Wilson! This is a massive chance, but in controlling, the ball goes behind him a little and he can’t get laces around arse-cheek with sufficient power to overly trouble Ederson.
27 min Saint-Maximin is coming into this now, lofting a cross to the back stick where Wilson heads into De Bruyne and behind. He wants a penalty but will make do with a corner.
25 min “I’m a Liverpool fan and I hate Manchester City,” but they are just light years ahead of all other teams. Every other team it’s always a question of whether they can score; with City it seems inevitable they will score. With Haaland picking up on chances they missed last season I’m taking bets they will win every single league game for a perfect season? Any takers?”
I’d be very surprised, but I can’t see any game you’d expect them not to win before it actually happens. If that makes sense, which it might not.
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24 min This is brilliant from Newcastle, attacking down the left again after Stones gives it away then Saint-Maximin jinking by him, earning a shooting lane … only to lash straight at Ederson. City look as dangerous as ever when in possession, but when I said I didn’t rate their defence earlier, this is what I meant.
22 min Newcastle are enjoying this, Almiron and Guimaraes having crosses headed clear. The wide pitch at St James’ is helping them because they’ve been brave enough to keep wingers high and wide, then send the full-backs forward in support.
21 min Ake is hurt, and though he wants longer to see what happens, with the flow of things as it is, Guardiola can’t allow him that, sending on Dias.
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20 min Now Newcastle counter, again with speed and intensity, Saint-Maximin finding Almiron, who'se cross is just too far ahead of Wilson. Could he have slid in? Either way, City are lucky to still have their lead and clean sheet – this match is cooking.
20 min De Bruyne tries the outswinger, and it’s on target but Pope shoves away easily enough.
19 min City win a free-kick just outside the box, right of centre…
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18 min Cancelo is booked for a foul during that move.
17 min This is getting frantic! Newcastle are flooding men forward, and when Wilson touches off for Joelinton, he slides a fine ball out to Saint-Maximin, who ducks outside Walker and cuts back! Almiron must score! But the attacker with nine league goals in 93 league starts leans backs and larrups over the top. That is a colossal oversight.
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15 min This is a really open game, which I guess Newcastle are allowing with their defensive line. But it’s breached yet again when De Bruyne sends Foden away down the left; again, he shoots towards the near post and Pope saves with a foot when he tries for the far corner. On the touchline, Guardiola is irate because there was no square pass for Haaland – as there wasn’t from Foden last weekend. He may be apprised of some sentiments at half-time.
13 min Better from Newcastle, Willock skirting around Walker and … beating him for pace? Do not adjust your sets, that did just happen. I know! Anyhow, he lanks down the left, then with Wilson inside squares … but yerman opts not to allow the ball across him and onto his right foot, sweeping with his left and seeing it fly wide.
11 min That really was excellent from Haaland, the world’s first lab-created soccermonster. He is going to do some ludicrous damage this season.
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10 min Haaland holds up adroitly, then turns, gives Willock a free piggy back, and with the outside of his boot, curves De Bruyne through at inside-right! He should slightly angle his run to get closer to goal but doesn’t, so that when it’s time to pull the trigger, he’s not go much at which to aim and Pope saves with his feet at the near post.
9 min “The song choice was spot-on!” reckons Michael Driscoll.
- Kaiser Chiefs are from Leeds
- The home team just ran all over Chelsea
- There may well be a riot at Old Trafford
Points deductions for… being funny and brilliant?”
I’m not having that Kaiser Chiefs – named for Lucas Radebe, if we’re doing Leeds connections – are spot-on. I don’t make the rules, but I am bound by them.
8 min De Bruyne skips away from Guimaraes, who boots him to the turf before protesting as obvious a booking as you’ll see.
7 min Eddie Howe will be extremely displeased with how all that happened, but to significant extent, it’s what happens against City: the pressure to perform is intense, so players make errors they wouldn’t otherwise.
GOAL! Newcastle United 0-1 Manchester City (Gundogan 5)
Gundogan starts the move just inside the City half and mooches forward, as Bernardo eases forward unmolested. The cross then picks him out and he’s got time to control, fetch the ball from behind him, and slot it home, which is to say this is an absolute embarrassment for Newcastle’s much-improved defence.
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4 min I first saw Rodri playing for Spain, I think, and he looked a serious talent then. But his improvement into probably the best in the league is yet further evidence of Guardiola’s ability to pick players he needs then develop them, and Rodri’s pleasingly nasty streak. He’s not as quick as Fernandindo, but he’s every bit as snide.
4 min Now City build, Haaland laying off and spinning in behind, while Rodri lashes over the top.
2 min How often do teams score from a short corner? I’d wager even less frequently, on average, than from a corner sent into the box. On which point, I wonder if data will ever insist players stop shooting from free-kicks, as that hardly ever yields a goal, and have them cross or pass instead.
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2 min Newcastle work a short corner nicely, Guimaraes finding Trippier, whose cross is collected by Ederson.
1 min Yup, Joelinton Scholes spreads play to Trippier, deep inside the City half as expected, and his cross is headed behind for an early corner…
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1 min Howay we go!
I don’t even like Mark Knopfler, but Local Hero has got to be the best walk-on tune in the league.
Here come the teams!
“It is depressing just how easily we humans are bought off” emails Niall Mullen. “I can only assume that if Putin bought my club and promised massive investment in the team I’d turn up at the next game in a ushanka claiming that, actually, Ukraine is ethnically Russian.”
I guess it make some sense – there’s little better in life than your team’s footballing glory. What I find bothersome is the refusal to recognise the provenance of success, and the animus sent those whose job it is to point that out. None of them want it to be like this, or resent any club its success beyond that.
I wrote about that – and about City’s lack of brutes – here.
“So the defence with the joint best defensive record in the Premier League last season and that haven’t conceded yet this season ‘lack quality’,” says Ben Burrell, quoting me back to myself. “I’d love to hear how you define defensive quality Dan!”
As with all Guardiola teams, City press from the front and keep possession amazingly well – the battle is getting at their defence much more than getting anything from them. It’s the main reason Guardiola has only won the Champions League with Messi and the greatest midfield of all time – you can get away with it domestically, but in Europe you eventually get caught. See Liverpool, Spurs, Lyon, Chelsea, Madrid – City have been the best side in Europe for about five years now, and one final is not a sensible reflection of that. The defence is the reason why.
Football nicknames: I mentioned earlier that Steve Bruce used to call Joelinton “Big Joe”, which reminded me that Sam Allardyce called Tal Ben Haim “Ben”, meaning “son of”. Any more for any more?
“If the men’s sides deserve opprobrium,” emails Em Jackson, “for the way in which KSA and UAE have invested in both sides to facilitate sportswashing of dubious regimes (and NUFC with KSA especially - and with links to Tory supporting Reuben Brothers even more so), then what news from the sports commentariat about NUFC Women now being run, entirely, by NUFC’s owners? Is equality in sport the chance to be as bad as the men’s sides re: ownership? Or should the women have said ‘No, not until women in KSA are free to exercise democratic choices and freedoms?’”
This is football. There should always be enough opprobrium to go round.
Fast Edward says playing is “the ultimate test” – with added “for me,” obviously. His team need to be the best version of themselves, and in that connection won’t be sitting deep. Well, that’s the plan, but he knows the way the game can go, that can happen whether or not you want it to. But he doesn’t want to give class players too much time on the ball, knows his side have players who can hurt City, and by showing the intent to win the game, his players can involve the crowd.
Guardiola is typically gnomic when asked about his selection, saying there’s room for Sergio Gomez because Jack Grealish is injured. He knows Newcastle away is always tough, so his team will have to show how good they are and how well they understand their football. He’s also surprised his team have started the season in decent form, as they had a short pre-season – o at least he says he is.
On which point, I’d expect to see Kieran Trippier being brave in attack for that reason.
As with pretty much every team that has to play City, beating them is a nause because it’s got to be done with roughly 30% possession, most of which isn’t in dangerous areas. But every team that plays City also has the chance, if they can get enough decent ball, to have a word with a defence that lacks sturdiness and quality. Obviously the full-backs are excellent, but Joao Cancelo’s licence to attack means space behind, while the centre-backs are decent but not among the best, and both can be dominated physically. I’d expect Callum Wilson to try and pin them, but he’ll need decent service from out wide – I actually wonder if, for that reason, Fraser might’ve been picked ahead of Almiron, had he been fit.
At full-time at Elland Road, they played I Predict A Riot. I’d have the points off them for that, quicksmart.
Updated
The final whistle has gone there – Leeds are now second in the table, Chelsea 12th – and at London Stadium – or the London Stadium – where Brighton have beaten West Ham 2-0. Brighton are fourth, West Ham bottom.
They’re playing injury time at Elland Road, where Leeds still lead Chelsea 3-0 and, for extra mirth, Kalidou Koulibaly has been sent off for an entirely unnecessary second bookable offence.
Neither of those changes is unintelligible, and before I lightly question them, yes, I know that, chances are, Josep Guardiola knows more about association football than do I. However, given City’s defence remains their weak point, I’m surprised he’s not trying to settle a centre-back partnership that plays every week. And brilliant though Bernardo is, I’m a little surprised he’s on the wing, where his relative lack of pace can be a problem, than in midfield, where he’s at his best.
As for City, it’s John Stones and Nathan Aké at the back, which means no Rúben Dias, while in attack, Bernardo Silva starts ahead of Riyad Mahrez.
Newcastle are unchanged following last weekend’s goalless draw at Brighton, but though Matt Targett isn’t fit enough for selection, Ryan Fraser and Emil Krafth make the bench.
Our teams
Newcastle United (a Howeian, howayian 4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Guimaraes, Joelinton, Willocks; Almiron, Wilson, Saint-Maximin. Subs: Dubravka, Lascelles, Ritchie, Krafth, Wood, Fraser, Murphy, Anderson, Longstaff.
Manchester City (a more formal 4-3-3): Ederson; Walker, Stones, Ake, Cancelo; Rodri, Gundogan, De Bruyne; Bernardo Silva, Haaland, Foden. Subs: Ortega, Dias, Phillips, Alvarez, Gomez, Mahrez, Mbete, Palmer, Lewis.
Referee: Jarred Gillett (Gold Coast)
First things first: Leeds are clattering Chelsea 3-0, with 18 minutes and change remaining.
Preamble
Given a world that’s in constant flux, it’s surprisingly easy to assume a state of permanence with regard to things that are necessarily changeable. Whether we’re contemplating summer, love or football, once we’re ensconced within a rhythm – hot days, disappointing nights, predictable results – it can seem like things will never change.
Such are Manchester City. Champions of England in four of the last five seasons, they’ve won 11 and drawn three of their last 14 league games – in which time they’ve also added Erling Haaland, making the prospect of their failing to win any game look extremely remote. We must never forget that all this is a facility of state wealth, but it feels like a state of permanence nevertheless.
Of course, sport and football are rarely like that – City were once where Newcastle are now, bankrolled by some of the planet’s most renowned altruists for the simple joy of the game. Things have changed since then, though. Where City had a free run at players as brilliant as David Silva, Sergio Aguëro and Yaya Touré and rivals, in Man United, whose owners prioritised silver over silverware, there are now financial fair play rules which make it harder to penetrate the elite, and chief execs whose personal interests largely coincide with those of their clubs.
Which isn’t to say Newcastle haven’t improved a lot over the last bit; they have. Bruno Guimarães is a fine player, far better than any they might have expected to sign at this point; Joelinton, or Big Joe as Steve Bruce liked to call him, has been a revelation in midfield; and the defence now looks like a defence.
All very nice, but to cause problems for City will take significantly more than we’ve seen from the iteration of Newcastle. They are capable – if they find the level they hit in dismantling Arsenal at the end of last season, they can hurt City – but anything less, and they’re for it.
Kick-off: 4.30pm BST
