Defending champions Manchester City reminded their title rivals they remain the team to beat by seeing off a determined Newcastle United side that have been touted as possible pretenders to their crown.
Julian Alvarez’s brilliant first-half strike proved enough to maintain City’s winning start to the Premier League season against a Magpies team who battled hard but possessed modest attacking threat for much of the match.
Phil Foden provided the creative sparkle for City in the absence of Kevin de Bruyne, who faces up to six months out after hamstring surgery this week.
The England playmaker set up Alvarez’s goal and created more chances after the break, with Erling Haaland wasting the best of them when he fired wide.
Newcastle matched City in midfield and upset the home crowd with their physical approach, with Foden on the receiving end of a couple of heavy challenges.
But it was in the final third where Eddie Howe’s side were lacking – something of a surprise after they scored five goals against Aston Villa on the opening weekend.
They did not manage a shot on target until the 70th minute, when substitute Harvey Barnes finally tested Ederson from outside the box, and despite some late pressure they did not create another clear chance.
More follows.
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Manchester City
No players have been substituted yet
Newcastle United
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Squad number22Player namePope
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Squad number2Player nameTrippier
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Squad number5Player nameSchär
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Squad number4Player nameBotman
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Squad number33Player nameBurn
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Squad number8Player nameTonali
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Squad number39Player nameBruno Guimarães
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Squad number7Player nameJoelinton
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Squad number24Player nameAlmirón
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Squad number14Player nameIsak
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Squad number10Player nameGordon
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Squad number9Player nameWilson
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Squad number15Player nameBarnes
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Squad number21Player nameLivramento
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Squad number32Player nameAnderson
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Squad number36Player nameS Longstaff
Line-ups
Man City
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 31Ederson
- 2Walker
- 25Akanji
- 3Rúben Dias
- 24Gvardiol
- 16Rodri
- 8Kovacic
- 47Foden
- 19ÁlvarezBooked at 46mins
- 10Grealish
- 9Haaland
Substitutes
- 4Phillips
- 6Aké
- 18Ortega
- 21Gómez
- 32Perrone
- 52Bobb
- 80Palmer
- 82Lewis
- 87McAtee
Newcastle
Formation 4-3-3
- 22Pope
- 2Trippier
- 5Schär
- 4Botman
- 33Burn
- 8TonaliBooked at 34minsSubstituted forAndersonat 67′minutes
- 39Bruno GuimarãesBooked at 71mins
- 7JoelintonBooked at 54minsSubstituted forS Longstaffat 57′minutes
- 24AlmirónSubstituted forLivramentoat 86′minutes
- 14IsakSubstituted forWilsonat 66′minutes
- 10GordonBooked at 24minsSubstituted forBarnesat 56′minutesBooked at 58mins
Substitutes
- 1Dúbravka
- 6Lascelles
- 9Wilson
- 11Ritchie
- 13Targett
- 15Barnes
- 21Livramento
- 32Anderson
- 36S Longstaff
Live Text
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Match ends, Manchester City 1, Newcastle United 0.
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Second Half ends, Manchester City 1, Newcastle United 0.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Kieran Trippier.
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Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle United).
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Offside, Newcastle United. Dan Burn tries a through ball, but Callum Wilson is caught offside.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Nick Pope.
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Attempt saved. Phil Foden (Manchester City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Erling Haaland.
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Attempt blocked. Phil Foden (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Julián Álvarez.
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Substitution, Newcastle United. Tino Livramento replaces Miguel Almirón.
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Phil Foden (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Sven Botman (Newcastle United).
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Foul by Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City).
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Sean Longstaff (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Erling Haaland (Manchester City).
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Fabian Schär (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Offside, Newcastle United. Sean Longstaff tries a through ball, but Miguel Almirón is caught offside.
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Attempt blocked. Miguel Almirón (Newcastle United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Elliot Anderson with a cross.
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Jack Grealish (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United).
