September 30, 2000. Remarkably, that was the last time Newcastle United won away at Man City in the Premier League. To put that run into perspective, City were playing at a different ground, Maine Road, at the time and Daniel Cordone was a starter for Newcastle.
Newcastle have now lost 14 consecutive league games at the Etihad, which is the longest such hoodoo of any side in Premier League history. Yet that streak won't go on forever if the club's owners have anything to do with it. Certainly the events of recent weeks - namely last week's Carabao Cup final defeat against Manchester United - have only made Eddie Howe and the hierarchy more determined to succeed.
Pep Guardiola was the first to recognise that - even if Newcastle still have an awful lot of work to do to bridge the gap on the reigning champions.
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"The owners did not take over too long ago and they are nearly there," the City boss told reporters. "They are starting to rise and increase. Of course, they will be a contender."
While Newcastle's continued issues in both boxes again reared their ugly head at the weekend, this was just the Magpies' third league defeat of the season and it was by no means the hammering Howe's side suffered 300 days previously at the same arena. In fact, last season, City had 10 more shots, three times as many shots on target and 15% more possession during a 5-0 rout.
A defeat is a defeat, but Newcastle were more competitive on Saturday. Newcastle may have failed to take their chances once again, and been unable to keep out both Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva, but this did not feel like the Etihad pastings of old. The visitors did not park the bus and did not let their heads drop even when they went 2-0 down late on; in contrast City scored two goals in the space of just three minutes at the death last season.
As well as a change in mentality, there were just six survivors from the starting line-up back in May when Martin Dubravka, Emil Krafth and Chris Wood were among those in the first XI. Similarly, there will be some involved in the match day squad on Saturday who won't be back at the Etihad next season.
It is clear further reinforcements are needed to take that next step and Howe stressed on the eve of this game he was prepared to make 'tough calls' for the benefit of the club - even if that meant losing players he 'loves' this summer. The Newcastle boss went as far as to admit that some individuals will 'fall off from that ride that we are on'. With that in mind, Newcastle could look a different outfit once more when they next rock up at the Etihad.
"Different, hopefully, in a positive way," Howe told reporters. "Last year was a really tough experience. There was quite a big gap between the two teams.
"I certainly think this season, in the two games we have had, they have been very good games. They were on a knife-edge and could have gone either way.
"That's a big improvement for us. Hopefully, we can come back next year an even better team, but certainly that becomes more difficult."
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