After losing points in a draw with Tottenham yesterday, the Liverpool coach was asked, “Do you expect Manchester City to lose points?” Klopp said bluntly, ‘It doesn’t look like anything will happen. It would be nice to think differently, but I don’t really see the possibility of anything like that.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nothing like that actually happened. Etihad lost to Newcastle 5-0 after playing with City Dapat today. In the long-running battle for the title of the Premier League, the gap was a little — City left Liverpool 3 points behind. City have 7 points from 35 matches, Liverpool have 63.
Pep Guardiola made four changes to the XI in that heartbreaking match for Real Madrid. Kyle Walker was ruled out due to injury, leaving Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez on the bench. These four were replaced by Oleksandr Jinchenko, Ilkay Gundoan, Rahim Sterling and Jack Grilish. It remains to be seen how much City will be able to cope with the shock of being knocked out of the Champions League semi-finals. Guardiola’s side did not let that shock ignite the dream of a league title.
However, there was little reason for City to fear Newcastle. City have lost just once in the last 28 matches against Newcastle before in the league, that is in 2019. Newcastle have never won a match in Etihad before, with 14 draws and two draws. The last time Newcastle tasted victory at City was in September 2000, with a single goal from Alan Shearer. At the time, Maine Road Stadium was the venue for Manchester City.
Newcastle scored a goal today before giving any hint to bring back those happy memories of 22 years ago. In the 19th minute of the match, Joao Cancello in the box of Newcastle headed towards Sterling by heading the cross of Gundoan who flew from the midfield. Sterling did not make a mistake in sending the ball into the net. This is Sterling’s 50th goal in Etihad. The City winger is the second player after Sergio Aguero (106) to reach the milestone of 50 goals at home.
Five minutes later, Newcastle also sent the ball into City’s net. But Chris Wood’s goal was canceled due to offside. Newcastle digested the second goal without forgetting that frustration, and that was forgotten by goalkeeper Dubravkar. Kevin de Bruyne’s cross fell at the feet of Gundoan at the boundary of the D-box. The German midfielder’s shot was blocked by Dubrovka but could not be controlled. At first, Ruben Dias failed to send the ball into the net, but Emerick Laporte made no mistake.
City went to the break with two goals to make it 3-0 in 61 minutes. De Bruyne scored the goal, Rodrigo just sent the net. After that there was no doubt about the result of this match. But the city does not seem to want to stop there. Sterling scored his second goal of the match after Foden’s goal in the 69th minute.
City is ahead of Liverpool (84) in points, now even ahead of the points.
