Manchester City played the match of the millions with Newcastle, which turn to play in the UEFA Champions League after two decades. This simple fact gives this Premier League match a different status, one of two big teams playing for high purposes.
Kovacic made his home debut as Gvardiol had his first match in Etihad also. Newcastle played with Isak in the attack and Gordon and Almiron on the left and the right side.
City played in the center of the midfield and advanced with Grealish and Alvarez in the left wing. City continued to build up and found a shot with Akanji in the first quarter of the game. Kovacic and Rodri kept their positions in the center of the midfield and defended for the majority part of the first half.
The first goal
Akanji played as an advanced midfielder and this change was reflected in the City game. The equalizer was broken with City finding spaces between the lines. Alvarez scores in the 31-th minute after a combination with Foden with the Argentinian scoring the first goal of the season in Etihad.
Manchester City has broken a home record by scoring in 34 League games in a row. Alvarez was moving in the midfield and in the 39th minute he escaped again the Newcastle defense and provided an assist for Foden, who presented Halland with Pope, but the Norwegian missed by an inch.
The first corner of the match came in the 43′ minute with Grealish crossing, but Diaz could not finish. Gordon responded with a weak shot after a cross by Trippier. At the end of the first half Manchester City had something extra and Newcastle had to change something in order to balance the game.
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The second half
The second half started with Isak trying to steal a penalty, but Robert Jones the main official of the match says no. The game was not at the expected level for Newcastle as Joelington got a yellow card for fouling Diaz.
Eddie Howe decided to make the first substitution in the 55th minute of the game, replacing Gordon with Harvey Barnes. Joelington also left the pitch and Sean Longstaff was in, to change the overall view of the game.
But nothing was right for Newcastle. Foden represents once again Halland with Pope, but he misses the shot in the 63rd.
Nick Pope made a decisive save with his right foot to deny Halland’s effort to put himself on the scoreboard. Isak and Tonali left the pitch for Elliot Anderson and Callum Willson in the 67th. Newcastle continued to defend tight and left no space.
Newcastle decided to play in the last twenty minutes of the game, but they missed the finish in the last part of the pitch.
City returned to dominate in the last ten minutes of the game and Kovacic and Rodri kept the ball. Livramento on the other hand replaced Almiron to increase the effect of a late spell for Newcastle.
City has the response with Foden that strikes in the 90th minute after a combination with Halland. He was the main man for City in this match and at the same time a fluid attacker, dominating in each part of the pitch.
Referee Jones added five minutes to the scoreboard. But the result remained unchanged and Manchester City grabbed the three points to start with a big win at home.
