Newcastle United returned to winning ways on Saturday, beating Manchester City 2-1 at St. James' Park.

Eddie Howe has been credited for the ‘countless hours’ he spent preparing his Newcastle United side for their memorable victory over Manchester City on Saturday.

The Magpies have struggled in the Premier League this season and went into the international break off the back of consecutive 3-1 defeats in London to West Ham United and Brentford - leaving them 14th in the table with just 12 points on the board from 11 games.

But Newcastle came back with a bang on Saturday, with a Harvey Barnes double either side of Ruben Dias’ equaliser - all in the space of seven second-half minutes - delivering a much-needed and unexpected victory at St. James’ Park.

Eddie Howe praised for ‘finding answers’ against Man City

Saturday’s win saw a welcome return to the starting line-up for Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall after their injuries, while there were various other tactical tweaks. According to BBC journalist Ciaran Kelly, these changes, combined with Howe’s meticulous preparation, helped Newcastle ‘rediscover their energy and athleticism’ to deliver the victory against Pep Guardiola’s side.

“When Newcastle needed a result most, Eddie Howe and his staff devised a plan to finally get the better of Manchester City in the Premier League,” wrote Kelly. “And it paid off following a 2-1 win at a raucous St James' Park as Howe tasted victory against Pep Guardiola for the first time in the top flight at his 17th attempt.

“The seeds were planted in the days after Newcastle's 3-1 loss at Brentford this month. “Howe spent countless hours analysing footage, reviewing training and attempting to find answers to what has been a curious campaign.

“It may have been a smaller training group, but Newcastle tried to rediscover ‘their energy and athleticism’ during the international break. “And there were some notable tweaks for the visit of Manchester City.

“Captain Bruno Guimaraes was handed a central role in the midfield three, where Sandro Tonali has taken up residence for the best part of a year, while returning full-backs Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento started their first game together since September and made a huge difference.

“Fabian Schar also made his first top-flight start in two months in place of centre-back Sven Botman. However, rather than making radical changes, Howe stuck with his favoured 4-3-3 system and two of the three alterations to his starting line-up were effectively enforced after Kieran Trippier and Anthony Gordon missed out through injury.

“The bulk of those players who lined up at Brentford and, indeed, in the damaging defeat at West Ham, were given the chance to make amends as a result.”

What next for Newcastle United?

If Newcastle are to compete in the upper reaches of the Premier League table, this excellent result must be the start of a run, not just a flash in the pan. The Magpies now face a tough test away against Marseille in the Champions League, before heading to Merseyside to take on Everton. A pair of home games then follow against Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley.

Your next Newcastle United read: NUFC call-up 16-year-old to Champions League squad