BREAKING NEWS: “It’s either Pep Guardiola sells him or I leave. I could have scored the winning goal, but he wouldn’t pass me the ball and wasted the opportunity,” said an angry Erling Haaland about a Manchester City player who didn’t give him the ball yesterday.

Manchester City dropped points for the second consecutive Premier League match after a resilient Newcastle United fought back to secure a draw. This fixture marked City’s first game without Rodri, who sustained a season-ending injury.

Despite the setback, City started strong, with Jack Grealish playing a pivotal role in setting up Josko Gvardiol to score the opening goal. Grealish’s quick thinking and skill on the ball helped City take control, yet they couldn’t capitalize further.

Newcastle refused to fold, however, and Anthony Gordon turned the tide in the second half. He won a crucial penalty, which he converted past City’s goalkeeper, Ederson, to equalize the score. While both teams had opportunities to snatch a late winner, neither side could find the decisive goal, and they had to settle for a point each.

Throughout the match, City players had mixed performances. Ederson made several excellent saves but was unfortunate to give away the penalty that allowed Newcastle to equalize, earning a solid rating of 7.

Kyle Walker, on the other hand, was caught out during the penalty decision when he failed to successfully play Gordon offside, which reflected in a lower rating of 5. Ruben Dias, as usual, was a reliable presence in defense, pushing the team forward in their search for a winner, while Manuel Akanji impressed by stepping up into midfield when needed and effectively handling defensive duties.

Despite struggling in the first half, Gvardiol showed his instincts with a well-taken goal, scoring a 6. Mateo Kovacic worked hard in the midfield but lacked the cutting edge needed to create clear chances, and Ilkay Gundogan similarly struggled to control the tempo. Bernardo Silva and Rico Lewis played their parts but lacked decisive contributions.

Jack Grealish was one of the standout performers, constantly troubling Newcastle’s defense and assisting Gvardiol’s goal. Erling Haaland was involved defensively and worked tirelessly to generate opportunities, though he didn’t receive much service upfront. Ultimately, both teams had their chances, but a draw seemed a fair reflection of the contest.