There is often a danger of long heralded comebacks turning into anticlimaxes but Kevin De Bruyne is simply not the sort of footballer to fall into that particular trap. Not content with scoring a sublime equaliser five minutes after stepping off the bench, Manchester City’s playmaker reignited Pep Guardiola’s title hopes by creating a classy stoppage-time winner for his fellow substitute Oscar Bobb.
It was De Bruyne’s first Premier League appearance since the season’s opening day. Since then there has been a hamstring to repair but, on this evidence, the Belgian is fully restored to former glories.
Indeed Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal and the rest can only fear what might happen when City’s principal striker, Erling Haaland, returns from his foot injury next month.
As things stand Guardiola’s side have moved into second, only two points behind Liverpool. If no one would bet against yet another title celebration at the Etihad this spring, Newcastle’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League once more are fading fast.
If only Eddie Howe had possessed substitutes of De Bruyne and Bobb’s quality on a night when his side recovered much of their old verve and vibrancy but still ended up suffering a sixth defeat in seven league games.
Injuries, exhaustion and the need to adhere to financial fair play rules dictate Newcastle have slipped to 10th but they began, refreshingly, by treating Guardiola’s players as equals.
City had arrived with their bags already packed for a warm-weather training break in Abu Dhabi featuring plenty of downtime. Perhaps, mentally at least, they were already lazing by the Arabian Sea as they began in distinctly kamikaze fashion.
In the fourth minute Newcastle’s onrushing Sean Longstaff directed a shot into the back of Ederson’s net after meeting Alexander Isak’s cross and although Chris Kavanagh disallowed it for offside that decision was subjected to a video assistant referee check. Despite the technology agreeing with the referee it was a tight decision – and a prime example of City’s high defensive line proving high-risk.
In a fallout prompted by a delayed linesman’s flag, Ederson was caught accidentally on a knee as he collided with both Longstaff and Kyle Walker, the latter having slid in as he attempted forlornly to deny the midfielder. After prolonged treatment City’s goalkeeper, rose, unsteadily, to his feet but almost immediately directed a clearance straight at the diligently pressing Miguel Almirón. Only the combined failure of Almirón, Bruno Guimarães and Anthony Gordon to capitalise spared City from conceding.
On came Stefan Ortega and, almost imperceptibly, Guardiola’s players settled into imperious passing mode. Phil Foden began posing Howe’s players questions they could not answer, softening them up to the point that Jérémy Doku resembled a jet cutting through cloud as he held off all midfield resistance to pick out Walker on the right. All that remained was for the England defender to cross for Bernardo Silva to elude Martin Dubravka courtesy of a highly audacious flick of his right heel.
Yet despite plenty of compellingly sustained passing cameos, City were never quite in control, their defence leaving plenty of space for Howe’s forwards to run into as the game retained an edgy end to end excitement.
Sure enough, seconds after Dubravka touched Silva’s half volley on to the bar, Fabian Schär won a tremendous challenge that prefaced Guimarães unleashing a glorious though pass in Isak’s direction. The Sweden striker retained admirable composure to turn a thoroughly wrong-footed Walker before sending a shot curving well beyond Ortega’s grasp.
Rapturous applause for Isak’s equaliser had barely subsided before yet more inviting space opened up behind Walker. This time Gordon was the player onside and, having cut inside after haring down the left, the winger heeded the exhortations from all four stands urging him to shoot by curling the ball past the stunned visiting keeper.
If Foden’s capacity for causing Dan Burn considerable bother meant Howe could never relax, the Newcastle manager’s blood pressure must have risen as the freshly glowed up and bouffant-haired De Bruyne removed his gloves and tracksuit.
As the Belgian replaced Silva in the 69th minute a by now fatigued Newcastle looked nervous. And with very good reason. Five minutes after stepping onto the stage De Bruyne collected Rodri’s pass and, almost nonchalantly, passed a beautifully weighted shot through Schär’s legs and into the bottom corner from the edge of the 18-yard area.
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It had Guardiola – who had earlier cursed long and loud after Julián Álvarez missed a sitter – leaping around his technical area and punching thin air with untrammelled abandon.
To Howe’s considerable distress that proved merely a dress rehearsal for the visiting joy in stoppage time after De Bruyne’s lofted pass and Bobb’s high-calibre footwork in dodging Dubravka concluded with the 20-year-old Norwegian winger applying the final touch.
