Newcastle 1-0 Man City: Isak scores the winner to stop City's EFL Cup campaign

Alexander Isak struck eight minutes after the break to seal a 1-0 victory for the Magpies – their first over City in any competition in 11 attempts – in front of a crowd of 51,692 at St James Park.

Match Report

Guardiola made eight changes, three of them to include Mateo Kovacic, Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish, and – while having indicated in advance that the competition was the least of his priorities – saw his side dominate for long periods but ultimately fail to turn the pressure they exerted into goals.

With Phillips and Kovacic controlling the midfield battle, the Magpies were absent as an attacking force for much of the first half.

By contrast the link between Rico Lewis, Oscar Bobb – making his first senior start – and Sergio Gomez down the City right proved profitable repeatedly.

Goalkeeper Nick Pope was called upon for the first time with 18 minutes gone when Bobb turned smartly on Phillips’ ball to feet and raced towards goal before feeding Julian Alvarez, whose low shot was blocked by the keeper’s boot.

Paul Dummett had to make a perfectly-timed challenge to deny Grealish a clear run at goal and Sandro Tonali threw himself into the path of Kovacic’s goal-bound strike with Newcastle’s inability to retain the ball causing them all kinds of problems.

Alvarez blazed a 28th-minute shot across goal after running on to Bobb’s clever flick from Kovacic’s square ball as the home side chased shadows, although they might have changed the narrative of the first half four minutes before the break.

Joelinton’s interception on halfway allowed Isak to feed Jacob Murphy, who surged forward before firing across keeper Stefan Ortega, who blocked with a leg.

Eddie Howe made a double change before the restart, replacing Lewis Hall and 17-year-old midfielder Lewis Miley, who was also starting for the first time, with Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon and the Magpies instantly had a better balance.

Tonali saw a 48th-minute shot blocked after he, Murphy and Tino Livramento had combined down the right and Newcastle were ahead five minutes later.

Murphy cut inside and found Joelinton, who powered his way into the penalty area before smashing the ball across goal from a tight angle to find the unmarked Isak, who finished with ease at the far post.

In an instant, the atmosphere inside St James’ Park changed with the visitors finding themselves under sustained pressure for the first time.

Grealish curled a 75th-minute shot into Pope’s arms as City responded, but their efforts were tepid and Guardiola was booked by referee Chris Kavanagh as he vented his frustration on the sideline.

His mood did not improve as City’s weak efforts to redeem themselves came to nothing despite Phil Foden’s introduction.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

33' CLOSE! Alvarez’s shot wide out

43' What a save from Ortega!

53' GOAL! Newcastle 1-0 Man City (Isak)

65' Yellow Card! Akanji booked

66' Yellow Card! Kalvin Phillips booked

77' Foden replace Alvarez

90' CLOSE! Lewis’s shot wide out

Line-ups

Newcastle XI: Lascelles, Dummett, Pope, Targett, J.Murphy, Joelinton, Isak, Tonali, Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, Lewis Miley

Subs: Ritchie, Trippier, Schar, Loris Karius, Manquillo, Almiron, Guimaraes, Elliot Anderson, Gordon

Man City XI: Stefan Ortega, Kovacic, Ake, Grealish, Akanji, Kalvin Phillips, Sergio Gómez, Julián Álvarez, Josko Gvardiol, Oscar Bobb, Rico Lewis

Subs: Carson, Walker, Ederson, Ruben Dias, Haaland, Foden, Matheus Nunes, Jérémy Doku, Micah Hamilton