Man City booked their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals with a thrilling 3-1 comeback win at Newcastle on Saturday night.
In the fifth meeting between the sides this season, Pep Guardiola got the better of Eddie Howe for a fourth time, with the visitors overcoming an early Newcastle storm to turn it around impressively – despite making 10 changes for the fifth-round tie.
Harvey Barnes struck during a fast start from Newcastle but Savinho inspired City’s response, producing a bizarre, nudged finish at the back post to pull his side level before Omar Marmoush converted a second from close range at the start of the second half and then hammered in a third to seal it.
After City slipped up to draw in the Premier League at home to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, this was an emphatic response. Four titles are still available to them and their show of strength in depth, resilience and quality here should be a warning to anyone writing them off.
Guardiola – who raged with intensity on the sidelines – celebrated the third goal wildly and will now have his sights set on a third FA Cup triumph. City discover their last-eight opponents in Monday night’s draw.
For Howe and Newcastle, it is another cup run ended by City this season, following their Carabao Cup semi-final exit. But they have little time to dwell on the defeat as they host Barcelona in the Champions League last-16 on Tuesday – another competition where they could yet face City again. City go to Real Madrid on Wednesday.
How City pulled off the comeback
In a high-octane first half, Newcastle struck first, with Barnes darting onto a super Sandro Tonali through ball to hit the top corner and score his first goal in 13 games.
Harvey Barnes celebrates scoring for Newcastle against Man City
By then, City had already needed Nico Gonzalez to clear a Nick Woltemade header off the line after James Trafford’s poor parry and the decision by Guardiola to make so many changes looked to have left the visitors exposed.
But they brilliantly swung the momentum around.
Savinho was the spark, but his equaliser was strange. Jeremy Doku fizzed a low cross through the six-yard box, Lewis Hall missed his clearance and Savinho merely prodded the ball slowly over the line.
Savinho celebrates his equaliser for Man City at Newcastle with John Stones
City should have been ahead by the break with Tijjani Reijnders arrowing a huge chance just wide of the far post, Nico O’Reilly failing to capitalise on Aaron Ramsdale’s error, and Savinho seeing his shot from close range blocked by Hall.
But they picked up where they left off at the start of the second half and completed the turnaround with another cross through the six-yard box, this time Marmoush converting Matheus Nunes’ low pass after more good work from Savinho.
The Egyptian scored two against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup at the Etihad and repeated the trick here with a thumping finish from just outside the box.
There were still 25 minutes to play at that point but there was no way back for Newcastle. When City are in this mood they are a major force.
Guardiola: Our best performance at Newcastle in my time
Man City boss Pep Guardiola to TNT Sports: “We played so good! The first 20 minutes, always in this stadium, always happens… but after, when we told them, make the sequences of passes, and especially Savio and Jeremy [Doku] were so decisive.
“The best performance we have played in this stadium in our time together here. Really, really good.”
Marmoush: We showed our mentality
Man City’s Omar Marmoush to TNT Sports:
“Amazing performance. We showed our mentality and passion on the pitch and for that we’re very happy to go to the next round.
“I’m very happy to help the team with the goals and we keep going.”
Howe turns attention to ‘biggest game’ against Barcelona
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe to TNT Sports:
“A good start from us. Really good for half an hour. We couldn’t sustain the level we were playing out in terms of our energy and intensity and they certainly responded.
“I have to say, I thought they played really well. So it’s a tough one for us to take.
“I just felt we maybe ran out of gas. They are a very good team.
“We have the biggest game in the club’s history coming up in no time at all. We’ve got to get the players ready for that.”