Pep Guardiola admitted he will have to come up with a solution to replace midfield enforcer Rodri if Manchester City are going to make it five titles in a row.
The champions dropped two more points at Newcastle after losing Rodri for the season with a torn cruciate ligament sustained in last week’s bruising 2-2 draw with Arsenal.
Last season, City’s three Premier League defeats were all inflicted when the Spaniard was missing - and Guardiola’s attempt to use Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan and Rico Lewis to fill the void at St James’ Park didn't work.
Guardiola said: “I would love Rodri to be here. But he isn’t and so I have to find solutions. We played really well with Kovacic and Rico, and then afterwards Bernardo (Silva). I saw my team and I recognise them perfectly.
“I miss Rodri for his qualities and today Newcastle were strong and started really well. The intensity of their press made it difficult for us. We played better after we scored and we had other chances, especially at the end with Bernardo and Phil Foden.
“We make a mistake and then they play better. But then we took the game again and had chances to win it. In general we played really good.
We made bad decisions at the last moment to make it 2-0 and it is always difficult here with their physicality and they defend so deep. We had chances but (Nick) Pope was brilliant so we take the point.”
City led through Josko Gvardiol’s first-half strike, but were pegged back just before the hour when Anthony Gordon scored from the penalty spot after being brought down by Blues’ keeper Ederson.
Guardiola added: "I didn’t see the penalty so I don’t know if Anthony Gordon was touched or he touched Ederson - but a penalty is a penalty.
"I said to Eddie Howe how I admire him for how he approaches a game, first in high pressing. His team is so direct. Newcastle struggled last season for just one reason - how many injuries they had.”
Next up for City is a trip to Bratislava in the Champions League on Tuesday night before facing Fulham at home on October 5 in their final Premier League game before the international break.