Newcastle are finding out the hard way that it’s tough at the top.
The Toon Army have been on the march under Eddie Howe this season and armed with the affluence and ambition of their Saudi owners, they aren’t going to be waving a white flag anytime soon. But after being given a reality check in their first Wembley final for 24 years last week, they were dealt a second body blow by another team from Manchester who know what it takes to get over the line.
Pep Guardiola’s champions threatened to blow Newcastle away with a furious opening salvo that saw Phil Foden conjure up a brilliant goal. But Howe’s men hung in there - before finding a riposte of their own that had City reeling.
Sean Longstaff, Callum Wilson and Joelinton missed chances to punish the Sky Blues and deny Ederson his 100th Premier League clean sheet. But then Guardiola sent on Bernardo Silva - and within two minutes the Portuguese midfielder controlled Erling Haaland’s flick with his first touch of the ball before using his second to send a toe-poke past Nick Pope.
A game decided by fine margins and City’s proven class. Guardiola’s team remain in the hunt for a fifth title in six seasons while Newcastle may have to realign Champions League ambitions that were always a bit of a stretch.
It is one win in eight games for the Geordies, with just three goals scored during that run. Tottenham have some breathing space in fourth, while Liverpool will have Newcastle blood in their nostrils.
Last week, Newcastle gave as good as they got against Manchester United - only for flashes of quality from Casemiro and Marcus Rashford to take the trophy to Old Trafford. Wilson played for England at the World Cup and Alexander Isak cost £63million.
Allan Saint-Maximin gave Kyle Walker a torrid time at St James’ Park in August, while Miguel Almiron is having the season of his life. But that isn’t enough when it gets to the business end of the football calendar.
City had Silva, Riyad Mahrez, John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Kalvin Phillips and Julian Alvarez on the bench. The champions have hardly hit the heights that have seen them become the Premier League’s dominant force under Guardiola.
Kevin De Bruyne was once again so out of sorts that when the City boss sent on Silva to bring more energy into his team, it was the Belgian who made way. Maybe Foden will step up the coming months after serving notice that class really is permanent.
His first touch and movement made Dan Burn look every inch like a centre-half who has been converted into a left-back, which he is. And when he fired City into the lead after 15 one-way minutes, it was a goal of stunning quality.
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The 22-year-old was a blur of Sky Blue when he instantly killed Rodri’s pass and cut inside Burn. Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes were still in the vicinity, but Foden sped between both with a drop of his shoulder and another surge of acceleration.
He deserved his bit of good fortune when his shot took a deflection off Sven Botman to beat Pope at his near post. Foden became the youngest player to be involved in 50 Premier League goals in the process.
For all the hysteria about City’s spending power, the homegrown tyro from Stockport remains one of Guardiola’s most potent weapons. The City boss will be hoping a niggling foot injury and subsequent loss of form have been cured.
Guardiola hasn’t been impressed with the hype around Manchester United that has been generated in the aftermath of the Carabao Cup final. He congratulated City’s greatest rivals on their first trophy in six years by issuing a reminder that it was a trophy he lifted four seasons in succession.
But while United may still be in contention for four trophies, only City are in the title race, Champions League and FA Cup.
