EPL champions Manchester City survived a huge scare as they ground out a 3-3 draw against a resurgent Newcastle United at St James’s Park. The Citizens had to come back from two goals down to secure a draw in the encounter.
After winning comfortably in their first two matches of the season, the champions were up against Newcastle United in their third match of the season. They made the best possible start to the match as Ilkay Gundogan put them in front inside five minutes after he was teed up by Bernardo Silva.
The goal awoke the home side and they began to ask questions of the Manchester City backline with Allan Saint-Maximin, in particular, being very lively. The skillful French winger soon made his contribution count as he dazzled two defenders before putting the ball on a plate for Miguel Almiron to bundle home an equaliser in the 28th minute.
With the home fans rocking, it took the Magpies only 11 minutes to turn the match on its head, with the exciting Saint-Maximin at the heart of the move that got them the lead. The former Nice winger set up Callum Wilson to smash home a finish past Ederson and hand his side an unlikely lead at the break.
Manchester City struggled to cope with the transitions of Newcastle from defence to attack and were soon punished once more as Saint-Maximin picked up the ball near the halfway line before driving through the heart of the City backline before he was felled by Rodri about 25 yards from goal. Newcastle United captain Kieran Tripper stepped up and sent the resulting free-kick into the top corner of the net to send St James’s Park into raptures in the 54th minute.
Trippier’s goal seemed to awaken the champions as they delivered a response immediately, with Erling Haaland lashing home his third league goal of the season from close range in the 60th minute.
Haaland was immediately played in behind by Kevin De Bruyne but saw his effort stopped by a stunning Nick Pope save one-on-one. The goalkeeper only delayed the inevitable as the champions showed their mettle to draw themselves level.
De Bruyne showed his excellent passing ability to thread a needle with a single pass which took five Newcastle defenders out of the equation, leaving Silva with a simple one-on-one finish with Pope in the 64th minute.
Both sides cancelled each other out for the final 26 minutes as they settled for a point apiece after a brilliant encounter.
