Newcastle United 0-2 Manchester City Review

League Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg

This was a big test passed by the team. Albeit with some rotation, they controlled Newcastle’s threat better than earlier in the season. Like with the win against Real Madrid, the result at those grounds, along with the nerve shown to see it out, is another step forward for this group slowly returning to the levels of previous iterations under Guardiola.

MOTM: JEREMY DOKU

Another game where Jeremy Doku leads the team for progressive carries and penalty box entries. 77' played. 3/4 dribbles completed. 2 chances created. Back from his injury and up to speed, you can see the difference he makes to drop opposition teams and drive them back. Allowing the team time to settle into possession.

From there, Doku is going to find a way into the penalty box. Whether it’s the early crosses along the 6-yard box, beating players to the byline, or drawing a couple of opposition players in and finding others in space on the edge of the box. He’s relentless, and that’s what you need when faced with a packed defense sat deep.

Notable Stats:

• Manchester City are the only team this season to win and keep a clean sheet at St. James Park, across all competitions.

• Max Alleyne has won 92% of his duels for Manchester City this season (12/13), including all six of the aerial duels he has contested.

• Antoine Semenyo is the first player to score in both of his first two appearances for Manchester City in all competitions since Emmanuel Adebayor in August 2009.

Game Stats:

Newcastle United 0-2 Manchester City

• xG: 0.64 - 2.01

• Possession: 42.0% - 58.0%

• Field Tilt: 35.0% - 65.0%

• Total Shots: 10 - 11

• Penalty Box Shots: 7 - 8

• Penalty Box Entries: 10 - 17

• High Turnovers: 1 - 6

First full 90' for Antoine Semenyo at Manchester City.

Bernardo Silva (2,004) and Matheus Nunes (2,040) have now played 2,000+ minutes across all competitions.

First clean sheet for Max Alleyne since joining the team.

Manchester City are now unbeaten in their last 13 games across all competitions.

If you want to stay up-to-date on individual player minutes, back four combinations, underlying numbers, and more, check out the live Google sheet below. 👇

Some changes for Manchester City as Jeremy Doku and Semenyo started on either wing. Pulled the opposition full-backs slightly wider, and demanded some support from the wingers. Helping to curb the threat to Newcastle in transition. Back three of Ake, Alleyne, and Khusanov that became a two as O’Reilly dropped deeper and Ake could make some underlapping runs for Doku. Foden often dropped outside the block to support in moving the ball. Silva was looking to attack the left half-space, and Nunes pushed up on the right side.

You did see with Newcastle plenty of their wingers trying to pressure the City defenders early on. Gordon on Khusanov and Murphy onto Ake. But with little success, that dropped off. Ramsey and Joelinton on either side, having to support their full-backs or track players between the lines with Silva and Nunes.

We did see Newcastle create a great early chance for Wissa, which started with the issue Manchester City had pressing. It only lasted ten minutes before Guardiola made the change. Initially pressing from wide with Semenyo pushing up to the 1st line with Haaland as Foden sat on Guimaraes. This then left Hall as the spare man to receive over the top, play bounce passes into, and pull into open space deeper. From there, he’s got the time to pick out the passes down the line. It also meant Nunes had to jump a large distance to press him and open up space behind.

They changed back to a central press. That we’ve seen a lot of this season. Silva splits the two midfielders, jumping up to Guimaraes once Foden joins the 1st line next to Haaland. He locks off the other CB as the passing option. Semenyo then works his way from in-to-out to press Hall, and Nunes stays tight to Gordon.

Good early chance for Wissa (5’), who missed, as did Joelinton (15’) with a glancing header off the early Gordon cross. Foden and Ake (45’+3) had shots from corners at the end of the half, but otherwise, it wasn’t filled with chances for each team. Some promising deliveries from Jeremy Doku, but not any leading to a shot.

Although from a City point of view, killing the first 45’ and going in at 0-0 was the perfect start to the game when the 1st leg is away from home. They’ve not allowed Newcastle to get on top, score, and put them under lots of pressure. Despite Alleyne and Lhusanov being your CB partnership, O’Reilly as the six, the team was stable, and you had the options to find the winner in the second half.

Guardiola did mention post-match how the players were a little disconnected in the final third for the first half. They’ve moved the ball a touch too slow, and you’d see Doku or Semenyo doubled up quickly without an option but to pass back. That’s where they needed to improve.

Manchester City started the half with the right intent, but Wissa did have a good chance with his header (50’), this time saved well by James Trafford.

A. Semenyo 53' 0-1  

Silva comes across to occupy Miley, and Alleyne fires the ball straight into Doku, skipping Ake, who Barnes was caught between.

He carries into the final third, pulling Barnes down the line, and opens up his body for the pass back to Ake in space on the top of the box. Doku had picked out Ake in this space for a cross several times in the game.

This time, Barnes jumps to block the pass and leaves the space for Doku to go outside. Guimaraes also comes to close down Ake.

Early cross means Miley is too far away to block it. The fake pass initially to Ake is also why Guimaraes leaves Silva in the box free.

Flick/shot by Silva and the move finished by Semenyo at the back-post. He does a great job of getting on the inside of Gordon before arriving in the 6-yard box.

There was a collection of Newcastle shots (58’) around the edge of the box. Two are blocked before the Guimaraes one is saved by Trafford. Foden had a shot (61’) on the edge of the box, blocked shortly after.

First round of changes for Manchester City. Rodri, Reijnders, and Lewis on for O’Reilly, Foden, and Nunes (62’). Reijnders came on and helped to keep up the energy levels, pressing Newcastle as well as continuing to offer the threat inside the box with his runs. O’Reilly and Nunes are both on yellow cards at this point, so a safe call to not risk a double yellow, and bring on two players that can continue to be aggressive in defending those situations in transition and the wingers 1v1.

Semenyo should have doubled the lead for Manchester City, but his goal was disallowed (63’). Brilliant touch on the corner to take the ball past Pope that Reijnders delivered. It’s a subjective call on the offside, of course, but they cannot continue to allow decisions to take that long.

Cherki on for Doku (77’) and not long after finds himself with chances to double the lead. Silva (78’) and Cherki (81’, 84’) have shots inside the box. At the time, it felt like there was another goal in it for City to build the lead, but also, the win was already a great result. They managed the risk well, when to play forward, without sitting off Newcastle or giving up possession. Something the team has struggled to find the balance with in several games this season.

The last sub is Ait-Nouri on for Ake (88’), back from AFCON after Algeria lost in the quarter-finals. Great to have the option back to rotate in the future games, but also, for his quality on the ball, as he showed in the second goal. Despite Algeria not going all the way, it’s helped him get up to speed and look sharp.

R. Cherki 90+8' 0-2  

Ait-Nouri's throw-in to Semenyo, back and forth, before he makes a run behind. Leaving the pass for Cherki, who has drifted into the space behind Joelinton unmarked, and his backheel leaves Ait-Nouri in space to drive into the box.

Despite Joelinton getting back to put pressure on him, Ait-Nouri picks out Cherki free in the box for a first-time finish past the keeper.

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Moving Forward

Not having the ideal central defender pairing, Nico O’Reilly had his first start as a six and delivered a controlled performance at St. James Park, which was impressive from the team. Especially with how they’ve managed the 1st leg with the right intensity, not forced their opportunities, and saw out the final minutes. They’ll need all of that for future Champions League games and tough away games in the Premier League.

That being said, it’s only the 1st leg, and they’ve got to get the result over the line. On the weekend is the derby, where three points are vital. It’s onto the next, and with the addition of Semenyo, players returning from injury and AFCON, the team is beginning to build up some momentum again.

Semenyo has already made an impact in his goals. Looks settled, which is a testament to his character and the group at the club to welcome him. Shown some glimpses of what’s to come with his movement. Arriving at the back-post to score against Newcastle, his involvement in corner kicks, and runs in behind. He’s an option for the keeper to find with long passes. Semenyo is physically imposing as a presser higher up the pitch. All are qualities the team needed.

Silva was excellent in this game and deserves a mention. Matched the aggression we saw from Joelinton and Guimaraes in the midfield, involved in the opening goal, supporting retaining the ball, and key in the press. Only Khusanov made more defensive actions in this game than Bernardo.

Looking at the 2nd leg, which falls between two tough Premier League away matches against Spurs and Liverpool. This was the perfect result. Gives Guardiola the confidence to rest a few players in key positions and still be able to control the game. Newcastle have to come after City if they’re serious about making the final. They will play Liverpool at Anfield before this game, after a CL game against PSG (A). Neither team comes into this one with an advantage of fresh players.

Full 90' for Abdukodir Khusanov, who made the most defensive actions, passes into the final third, and tackles for Manchester City. 4/5 ground duels won. 1/2 aerial duels won. You add next to him, Max Alleyne, continuing to be confident, carrying the ball out from the back, and playing passes through the lines. The two of them complement each other well. No other team has kept a clean sheet at St. James Park this season; that is a testament to their communication and stepping up to the challenge after injuries to Dias and Gvardiol. Also worth praising are the likes of Ake and Nunes on either side of the central defenders. Supporting them.

In previous games this season, especially against Leverkusen, you saw many of the players further down the lineup not play with the intent and aggression required to impact the game. Rico Lewis struggled with this, but over the last couple of games, he’s been the example, driving the ball forward, tenacious in the duels, and determined to get into the box. It’s great to see. That’s what will help the team and will get him more minutes.

Next up for Manchester City is Manchester United in the derby on Saturday 17th of January at 12:30 (UK). After three consecutive draws, the team needs to pick up a win on the weekend to keep up pace with Arsenal, who play Nottingham Forest away from home on the weekend.

Manchester United sit 7th in the Premier League on 32 points. After being knocked out at AFCON, Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo will be back and in contention to start under their new interim manager, Michael Carrick.

At Old Trafford this season, they’ve only lost to Arsenal, Everton, and Brighton (FA). From his time at Middlesbrough, Carrick has been known to coach his team with a slow buildup from the back, tucking one FB in as another CB in a back three, and pushing the other into the forward line as they progress the ball. Pressing in a 4-4-2.