Harvey Barnes delivered a standout performance at St James’ Park, guiding Newcastle United to a dramatic and hard-fought victory over defending champions Manchester City in one of the most gripping Premier League fixtures of the season.
The winger struck twice, including the decisive winner, as the home crowd roared Newcastle to a rare triumph over Pep Guardiola’s side. Barnes, who has now scored three goals in his last two matches, was sharp, composed, and clinical in front of goal.
Newcastle made their intentions clear early on when Barnes opened the scoring, finishing from close range after City failed to deal with a quick attack. Manchester City soon levelled through Ruben Dias, whose strike deflected off Fabian Schär and wrong-footed goalkeeper Nick Pope.
But the hosts refused to be undone. Just minutes after conceding, Jacob Murphy curled a teasing ball into the box. Bruno Guimarães rose to head it, and although his effort hit the woodwork, Barnes reacted quickest and hooked the rebound into the net. A lengthy VAR review followed, but the goal was confirmed, sending the stadium into a frenzy.
Despite facing world-class goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Newcastle kept pushing. The Italian international had already denied Nick Woltemade with three big saves, but he could do little about Barnes’ perfectly timed finish.
Manchester City, meanwhile, will see this as a missed opportunity. A win would have moved them within touching distance of league leaders Arsenal, but their finishing repeatedly let them down. Star striker Erling Haaland had two golden chances: one stopped brilliantly by Nick Pope and another chipped effort drifting wide. Phil Foden also failed to convert from close range after a clever exchange with Rayan Cherki.
City’s frustrations were amplified when a strong penalty appeal involving Foden went unanswered, adding to the visitors’ sense of injustice after Newcastle’s winner stood.
For Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, this victory was the perfect response to their painful 3-1 defeat to Brentford before the international break. It also marked his first Premier League win against Manchester City—a milestone he will long remember.
The result lifts Newcastle’s spirits and injects new energy into their campaign, while City leave Tyneside disappointed and questioning what went wrong in a match they had several chances to control.
This was Newcastle’s night—full of resilience, hunger, and belief—and Harvey Barnes stood at the heart of it all.
Ugandan watchdog
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