Alan Shearer hailed Allan Saint-Maximin as 'unplayable' and praised Newcastle's 'brave' approach in the thrilling draw with Manchester City. Eddie Howe's side came from behind and led by two goals at one stage, only to share the spoils in a scintillating 3-3 draw at St James' Park.
Ilkay Gundogan fired the visitors in front, but goals from Miguel Almiron, Callum Wilson and a second-half free-kick from Kieran Trippier to send the Toon Army into dreamland. However, a quickfire double from Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva set up a nervy finish as the hosts held on to a point.
Newcastle's performance was deservedly celebrated by fans and commentators alike. Here is a full transcript of the Match of the Day 2 analysis with presenter Mark Chapman and pundits Jermain Defoe and Magpies legend Shearer.
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MC: Well as Pep Guardiola said, that was a proper game.
AS: We've got to say thanks and well done to both sets of players for providing us with a footballing treat on a Sunday afternoon. Those who were lucky enough to be in the stadium and for those of us watching in the studio, it was a fantastic game of football from start to finish.
Newcastle really caused them problems in forward positions, particularly down their left-hand side with Allan Saint-Maximin who I thought was unplayable at times. Newcastle were brave in and out of possession and they took risks because when you look at the position of Man City's full-backs in those positions when they're infield, they do leave spaces in behind them.
When you've got pace and ability like Newcastle had today to do that, to get in behind and attack...Saint-Maximin gave Kyle Walker a torrid afternoon because of his positioning. When I say they were brave and they took risks, they leave three players up but because of the positioning of the full-backs, they were able to do this. They were able to get in behind because of the speed of their counter-attacks.
When Man City are in possession, look where their full-backs are and when they turned it over, they did that Newcastle. It is really entertaining, the fans loved it and particularly down that side with him [Saint-Maximin].
Three defenders against four City players [for Almiron equaliser] when Man City are in possession forcing them long. But when they win the ball, that then enables them because they've got men forward, they're a threat. They get people into the box and that's a brilliant ball in, that's what Saint-Maximin has to do every single week now because he's set the bar for himself.
Once Walker has gone in and made that decision [for Wilson goal], he has to win that header. He should really drop off, and then there wouldn't be a problem. But because he doesn't win the header, this is exactly what happens and again, pace on the counter attack and ability to run with the ball, and the touch and finish from Callum Wilson is absolutely superb. Newcastle caused Man City so many problems today.
MC: It was really brave though, wasn't it? The first game of the season when City won at West Ham and Danny Murphy was in the studio, and he highlighted the full-backs tuck in. I asked him how you counter that, and he said you're going to have to be brave.
AS: You've got to be brave and you've got to take risks, and you've got to have the players that are good enough to turn it around. When you win possession, you've got to be positive, you've got to have the pace to get at them and hurt them.
Newcastle did that today, it was a magnificent game but I just thought the way Newcastle reacted after going one-nil down, the first 10 minutes in the game they were under the cosh. They didn't panic, they didn't change their gameplan, they still wanted to hit Manchester City in those forward positions, they did that and it turned out to be an unbelievable game.
MC: Manchester City don't panic do they though when they are 3-1 down.
JD: They never panic, good sides like this never panic. They've been in this situation so many times before, and they always pull it back. The players they have got, they never panic which is a sign of a top team.
You see here [for Haaland goal] John Stones actually takes the corner, Bernardo Silva commits players and he cuts it back here. You see Man City get an overload at the back post, and the ball just drops here and there's only one man that's going to react the quickest. That's Haaland in that situation.
Again, Silva who was fantastic all afternoon committing players here [for City equaliser], gets it to Rodri and De Bruyne is in acres of space and you think he's got a few options. I thought he was going to actually clip this to Walker, but it's an unbelievable pass and the touch and the finish, you can't take that away from Silva. You want players to be cool in that situation and he just rolls it into the corner. Fantastic finish.
At this point they're in full control, the ball goes wide and just watch Gundogan there, he scans and sees this. You ask players to be inventive around the box, and I thought he was offside there.
The ball goes wide, Silva committing players, he comes inside and plays De Bruyne, the pass out wide and watch Haaland's movement here. This one is just unfortunate really [late Haaland miss], it's an instinctive finish and he probably thinks he should score.
MC: It's interesting, we had this discussion on the radio yesterday [Saturday], you try and keep a line against City or sit deep so they can't get in behind, but then you're just giving De Bruyne space to do whatever he wants to do.
JD: Exactly, it's so difficult when you play against players like De Bruyne when sometimes even with us watching the game, a pass doesn't seem on and he can just find someone like he did there. But at the end of it, you've got players who can finish as well. It was a fantastic ball and overall, a top game.
MC: Under Eddie Howe, the transfer policy has been very impressive. Particularly when you see how players settle into the club quickly, and we've seen it again with another signing today.
AS: Pope earned his team a point last week at Brighton, and more than played his part today. The number of saves again he made today, he looks big in that position one-v-one, that is an unbelievable save [tipping Haaland's shot on to the post]. It's great from Haaland, a lovely strike but he just gets down to his left-hand side.
JD: I like goalkeepers when they come out like this, he's so good with his feet. I think goalkeepers recognise sometimes that if the front players press, they have to stay high as well. He was off his line quick, you see here, how many times do you see players getting just before the goalkeeper and being given the penalty? That's fantastic timing, off his line quick and overall today, he was brilliant.
MC: From a striker's point of view, is that what impresses you the most? Just looking at that with the goalkeeper, he is that quick off [his line]?
JD: Of course. I remember playing with Hugo Lloris, and that's the first thing that I noticed, how quick he was off his line. It almost makes you rush your finish, and today he was fantastic all afternoon.
MC: More performances like that and he will be pushing Jordan Pickford.
AS: Absolutely, I think he's already pushing him, I don't think there's a doubt about that. I think he's started the season really, really well. If he keeps that up, he'll more than be in contention.
MC: So...penalty? I mean, I know what you're going to say!
AS: If you know what I'm going to say, why don't you ask the ex-Sunderland man what he thought?
JD: It's never a pen! Just winding him up, yeah that's a penalty. You see here, and if you watch John Stones' reaction, he looks at the referee straight away because I think he panics. Anywhere else on the pitch, that's a foul. You see here, it's clumsy. The more you watch it back, the worst it gets. He looks at the referee because he knows, he's panicked there. For me, it is a penalty for sure.
AS: I think that's right, I think anywhere else on the pitch and the referee gives a foul there but they say there wasn't enough evidence to overturn it.
MC: Whilst at the same time, the feeling being it was one of those if it had been given, they probably would have said there wasn't enough evidence to overturn it.
AS: I'm in agreement with the ex-Sunderland player, I thought it was a penalty.
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