Newcastle vs. Manchester City: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Newcastle United won a point in their battle against relegation as they held Manchester City to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday night at St James' Park.
There was plenty of controversy over the opening goal as Sergio Aguero was offside when a free-kick floated toward him, but it wasn't spotted, and his near-post header stood. Newcastle got back on terms before the break, though, with a fine goal from Vurnon Anita, who cut in off the right and scored with a low left-footed drive. Both sides had half-chances after the break, but Joe Hart made the biggest save, denying Georginio Wijnaldum late on.
Here are the winners and losers from the match.
Winner: Sergio Aguero
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Sergio Aguero loves a goal against Newcastle.
The striker was clearly offside for the game's opening goal as he headed in from a free-kick, but the officials didn't spot it and goalkeeper Karl Darlow didn't save it. It was his 100th Premier League goal, and he achieved the feat faster than any player other than Alan Shearer, per Opta on Twitter. He's the first South American to reach the milestone.
His movement throughout made him a problem for the home team to deal with, though it was most often when he dropped deep to dribble at the defence or link play rather than firing shots inside the penalty box.
Loser: Manuel Pellegrini
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It was another poor result for the outgoing Manchester City boss, who left his supporters unimpressed by waiting a long time to make any kind of change to affect the flow of the game.
Newcastle were the better team after the break, having more offensive play and working far harder than City managed, and Manuel Pellegrini largely left his side to get on with it, not bringing on Raheem Sterling and Wilfried Bony until late in the fixture.
A point against the relegation-threatened club is poor fare for a team that should be fighting for the title. It leaves City still looking over their shoulders at the clubs outside the top four, having now played an extra fixture.
Winner: Moussa Sissoko
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Newcastle's driving force from midfield was Moussa Sissoko, who was a constant threat throughout the match, if not a particularly refined one.
In a game where conceding possession cheaply reigned supreme, Sissoko was one of those most adept at making use of the space left by out of position players and unexpected gifts of the ball, marauding forward at pace and using his power to barge through challenges.
He could have had a goal or two with a little more composure, but he nevertheless took the fight to City and gave the fans plenty of reason to hope for survival.
Loser: Vincent Kompany
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On his return from his latest injury lay-off, Vincent Kompany couldn't have been much more out of step with the game.
He didn't have to defend constantly throughout the game, as City dominated large spells and Newcastle failed to get numbers forward, but at times the Belgian was undone simply by a straight run past him, particularly through the power and pace from Moussa Sissoko.
Kompany was also lax with his passing out of defence and was lucky on at least two occasions not to concede an easy chance on goal when Newcastle intercepted or blocked his passes.
Winner: Rafa Benitez
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The Newcastle manager hasn't yet lost hope, and an unexpected point from a tough encounter will only help with keeping the fans onside in the fight for survival.
Rafa Benitez has helped the team to four points from the past two games; Newcastle are now just two points behind Norwich City, who lurk outside the relegation zone.
It wasn't enough to lift Newcastle above Sunderland, who are one point ahead with a game in hand, but taking anything off City was a big bonus and will keep the confidence high among players. The likes of Sissoko, Chancel Mbemba and Andros Townsend—players whom Benitez has opted to put his faith in for performances and tactical discipline—have paid off in style in the past couple of games. Per Infostrada Sports, Benitez is still unbeaten in home matches against City.
Next up, former club Liverpool on Saturday.
