Newcastle United picked up a crucial three points against Manchester City at the weekend, but refereeing decisions were at the heart of the game.
After disappointing defeats to Brentford and West Ham before the international break, Newcastle were in a bit of a slump and needed revitalising.
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However, coming up against a relentless Man City side is never easy, especially for Newcastle, who have been dominated by Pep Guardiola’s side for the past 20 years.
A Harvey Barnes double earned the Magpies the win at St. James’ Park on Saturday evening against the odds. Still, fans named Malick Thiaw the Man of the Match vs City, but did he almost cost Newcastle the win?
Micah Richards on penalty claims for Man City
At one point, there were calls for a penalty when Fabian Schar made contact with Phil Foden in the box. The claims were waved away, with many believing the fact the City star had taken his shot already helped Newcastle avoid punishment.
Micah Richards agreed, telling Sky Sports: “There is contact… but I don’t think it is enough to overturn [the referee’s decision].”
Former Newcastle man Jonathan Woodgate said the same, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: “I don’t think Schar gets the ball, but I don’t think it’s a penalty. I don’t think he does enough.”
A far more controversial call from referee Sam Barrott came later in the game, when the ball appeared to strike Thiaw on the hand in the box. Again, no penalty was given, much to Richards’ bemusement.
He said: “I think that is a penalty. The only thing that saves him is because he doesn’t have a flat palm. That’s the only thing I can think of that saves him.”
Thiaw may have shut out Erling Haaland, but did he also get a little bit lucky not to have spoiled the day by giving away a penalty? Perhaps, but Newcastle’s win came down to far more than just the odd moment like this.
Referee decisions were not only factor in Newcastle win
Every team will get referee decisions they don’t agree with and ones they maybe benefit from across the course of the season. As everyone always says, these things tend to even themselves out.
But, Newcastle deserve so much credit for the manner in which they beat City. Eddie Howe got his big tactical decisions spot on, particularly when it comes to team selection.
Starting Joelinton, despite many suggesting he should be dropped, paid off. So too did bringing Tino Livramento into the fold despite him just coming back from injury. The pair helped Newcastle keep control of the game in key areas and added bite and fight to the Magpies’ efforts.
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When you look at the statistics on the day, City did dominate possession, but then again, they always do.
However, there was very little to split the teams in terms of xG (Newcastle’s 2.24 was narrowly beaten by City’s 2.49), and the home side actually had five big chances to City’s three. Indeed, Harvey Barnes could and should have had another goal after missing a golden opportunity in the first half.
The difference on the day is that Newcastle put away one of those big chances they created, while City did not.
They have Barnes to thank for that, with his clinical edge making the difference. But defensively, Newcastle were brilliant, too.
Keeping Haaland quiet is always going to be key to getting the better of City, and the Magpies did just that. The defence and midfield blocked the channels effectively to starve the big striker of any service, and that’s exactly why Newcastle truly deserved their win.
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