Erling Haaland suffered a uncommon off day as Harvey Barnes’ double gave Newcastle victory over Manchester Metropolis at St James’ Park.
The Premier League’s main goalscorer went into the competition searching for his one hundredth strike within the English prime flight however missed two wonderful alternatives as Metropolis slumped to their second successive away defeat.
Barnes was not as profligate, scoring both facet of a Ruben Dias equaliser, to maneuver Newcastle up to 14th in the table.
Haaland squanders early probability
Haaland must have opened the scoring inside the primary 4 minutes however fluffed his strains in uncharacteristic vogue. The Norwegian was performed by way of by Jeremy Doku however tried to chip the ball over the advancing Nick Pope and solely succeeded in skewing it horribly large.
It was to show an indication of issues to return as either side squandered quite a few alternatives in an absorbing opening interval.
Metropolis goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made a advantageous save to maintain out Nick Woltemade’s header and the enormous German did not beat the Italian once more after 27 minutes having been performed in by Barnes.
In between these possibilities, Metropolis had two wonderful shouts for a penalty. The primary appeared a stonewaller, Fabian Schar catching Phil Foden on the ankle after the England midfielder had received his shot away whereas the second, for handball in opposition to Malick Thiaw, was additionally waved away by referee Sam Barrott.
Metropolis had each proper to really feel exhausting achieved to however Newcastle did not capitalise on their good luck, Barnes by some means firing large on the far submit having been picked out by Jacob Murphy’s low cross.
The guests got here once more and Haaland was denied a customary poacher’s effort when his close-range shot struck Pope within the chest and rebounded to security.
Phil Foden was additionally responsible of poor ending when he side-footed large of a gaping purpose after good work from Rayan Cherki a minute earlier than the break.
Barnes on the double for Magpies
Metropolis bossed possession at first of the second interval however Newcastle remained a risk on the counter, one other sensible save from Donnarumma denying Woltemade approaching the hour mark.
5 minutes later and Newcastle had been forward. Bruno Guimaraes slotted the ball again to Barnes on the sting of the world and he fired a crisp low shot into the underside left-hand nook.
Their lead lasted simply 5 minutes, the hosts failing to clear a nook and within the ensuing panic the ball fell to Dias and he fired in through the leg of Schar.
It appeared as if Pep Guardiola’s facet would go on and make their superiority depend however they had been undone by Newcastle’s bodily presence on the different finish.
Metropolis struggled to get the ball clear, Sandro Tonali’s cross was headed again throughout purpose by Woltemade for Guimaraes to nod in opposition to the bar. The ball fell kindly for Barnes to hook the ball residence, the purpose ultimately given after a prolonged VAR test for offside.
Newcastle sat again within the last 20 minutes however Metropolis struggled to make any inroads. The very best probability fell to substitute Savinho however he shot horribly over the bar when properly positioned.
