What Anthony Gordon did in front of Pep Guardiola & Bruno Guimaraes ‘issue’ for Newcastle United

10 changes & three full debuts for Newcastle United

After beating Sheffield United 8-0 on Sunday, Eddie Howe changed his entire Newcastle outfield with only goalkeeper Nick Pope keeping his place in the side.

Paul Dummett and Jamaal Lascelles started their first matches of the season at centre-back while Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall and Lewis Miley were handed full debuts against the treble-winners.

Joelinton was a surprise return to the starting line-up after missing the last three games with a knee injury. A welcome fitness boost for Howe’s side as the squad nurses a number of fitness concerns heading into the weekend.

On the pitch, Newcastle’s makeshift line-up was evident as Manchester City dominated possession in the opening 45 and played the majority of it in The Magpies’ half. Still, Pope was only tested once through an angled Julian Alvarez strike as the new-look back-line of Livramento, Lascelles, Dummett and Matt Targett kept them at bay.

The hosts’ highlight of the first half was arguably Dummett’s last-ditch challenge to prevent Jack Grealish bursting through on goal. A challenge that epitomised the Geordie defender’s triumphant return to the side.

While Newcastle struggled in the first half, they crucially went in goalless and still very much in the tie.

Eddie Howe’s game-changing substitutions as Anthony Gordon gets the crowd pumped

Lewis Hall and Lewis Miley both lasted just 45 minutes on their full debuts as they struggled to make an impact amid City’s dominance. The introductions of Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon soon turned the game in The Magpies’ favour as they started the second half on the front foot and didn’t look back from there.

A hearty challenge from Anthony Gordon on Mateo Kovacic in front of Pep Guardiola minutes into the second half galvanized the previously subdued crowd at St James’ Park. And it was no real surprise when Newcastle made their second half resurgence count with a goal moments later.

Some good work from Jacob Murphy released Joelinton to charge into the box and cut a ball back across goal for Alexander Isak to turn in from close range. Just like that Newcastle led 1-0, and it was hard to argue with the scoreline.

For all Man City’s dominance in the first half, the intensity and drive of their attack was lacking as Newcastle were able to keep them at bay. But one bit of real attacking quality and conviction from Joelinton ultimately opened City up.

Now Newcastle had something to hold on to for the final 40 minutes or so.

Newcastle’s old and new stars steal the show

Man City pushed Newcastle in an attempt to find an equaliser with Phil Foden, Matheus Nunes and Jeremy Doku introduced to test Newcastle’s defence. But Pope only had to make one more simple save from Grealish in the match as Newcastle stood firm to keep a fourth consecutive clean sheet.

Newcastle’s defence was the perfect hybrid of old and new, it shouldn’t have worked so well, but it did, with Lascelles and Dummett rolling back the years to form a formidable partnership while Livramento shone at right-back in his first start. Targett at left-back has also been starved of regular first-team football this year but again grew into the game and showed great composure in the second half in particular.

Newcastle’s lack of quality squad depth in certain areas was very much under discussion at half-time yet attitudes had changed completely by the end of the match. Players like Dummett in particular, someone effectively forgotten about in regards to the first-team and viewed as a training ground player, proved he can still be of use to Newcastle on the pitch against high-level opposition.

He may now return to the background, but the 32-year-old more than earned his standing ovation as he came off with cramp in the closing stages of the match.

Newcastle dealt a number of fresh injury and fitness concerns

During the match, Isak was withdrawn with a calf issue and Guimaraes appeared to be struggling with his ankle once again. Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Callum Wilson and Martin Dubravka also dropped out of the squad with fitness concerns.

Isak admitted himself that he ‘thinks’ he’s okay despite his withdrawal.

And Howe said afterwards: “I hope he [Isak] is okay, he’s got a tight calf and we are nursing a few problems at the minute. The squad is stretched hence the changes to the team.

“Wilson was left out with hamstring tightness, Sven Botman has a knee problem. Bruno twisted his ankle and Paul Dummett had cramp. Dan Burn and Martin Dubravka were unwell.”

Newcastle United’s cup ‘misfortune’ continues with Man Utd test

Recent cup draws have not been kind to Newcastle. After drawing in Howe’s words ‘the best club team in the world’ in the third round of the Carabao Cup, their reward for beating them is a trip to cup holders Manchester United in the next round.

Although Newcastle beat Man United in their previous meeting at St James’ Park back in April, the match will be a replay of last season’s Carabao Cup final which saw Erik Ten Hag’s side win 2-0 at Wembley Stadium.

The Magpies will fancy their chances in the last-16 tie despite winning just one of their last 40 trips to Old Trafford.

Before that match in just over a month’s time, Newcastle will face Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League ‘group of death’ which also features AC Milan. While Howe’s side can’t seem to catch a break with their cup draws, it seems they have quickly got their season back on track with three wins, a draw and no goals conceded since the international break.

With a record league away win at Sheffield United, a cup victory against Man City, a Champions League return at AC Milan and a win against Brentford to get it all started, it’s hard to think of a better fortnight of football for Newcastle in their recent history.