Manchester City booked their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals with a thrilling 3-1 comeback win at Newcastle on Saturday night.
In the fifth meeting between the two teams this season, Pep Guardiola beat Eddie Howe for the fourth time and the visitors overcame an early Newcastle storm and produced an impressive comeback despite making 10 changes in the fifth-round draw.
Newcastle’s quick start saw Harvey Barnes strike but Sabinho inspired City’s response. He brought his side level with a bizarre, nudging finish at the back post and sealed it at the start of the second half with Omar Marmoush netting a second from close range and then a third.
It was an emphatic response after City were held to a draw in the Premier League at home to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday. Four titles are still available and their display of strength, resilience and quality here should serve as a warning to anyone who rejects them.
A furious Guardiola celebrated his third goal on the pitch and will now set his sights on winning a third FA Cup. City face their last eight opponents in Monday night’s draw.
For Howe and Newcastle, it was another cup finish this season, following City’s run to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup. But they have little time to think about the loss as they face Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday. This is another contest in which they could face City again. City travel to Real Madrid on Wednesday.
How City pulled off a comeback
A fierce first half saw Newcastle take the lead, with Barnes taking a pass from Super Sandro Tonali and hitting the top corner to score his first goal in 13 games.
Harvey Barnes celebrates Newcastle’s goal against Manchester City
By then, City already needed Nico Gonzalez to keep out Nick Woltemade’s header after James Trafford’s poor parry, and Guardiola’s decision to make too many changes appeared to have left the visitors exposed.
But they turned the momentum around brilliantly.
Sabinho was a spark, but his equalizer was strange. Jeremy Doku delivered a low cross into the six-yard box, Lewis Hall missed a clearance and Savinho lazily slotted the ball over the line.
Sabinho celebrated Manchester City’s equalizer with John Stones in Newcastle.
City should have been ahead at the break with Tijjani Reijnders curling a great chance just wide of the far post, Nico O’Reilly failing to capitalize on an Aaron Ramsdale mistake and Savinho having his shot from close range saved by Hall.
But they picked up where they left off at the start of the second half and completed the turnaround with another cross through the six-yard box. This time, after better work from Sabinho, Mamush converted a low pass from Mateus Nunes.
The Egyptian scored twice against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup at the Etihad and repeated the trick with a superb finish from just outside the box.
There were still 25 minutes left to play at that point, but there was no going back for Newcastle. They are a huge help when City are in this mood.
More to follow…
