Player ratings as Cityzens slip to frustrating draw

Life without Rodri began awkwardly for Manchester City, who fell to an uncomfortable 1-1 draw with Newcastle United on Saturday.

City were under pressure for large parts of the game but did take the lead through Josko Gvardiol in the first half, only for Anthony Gordon to convert a penalty after the break and earn the Magpies a well-deserved share of the spoils.

How the game unfolded

Newcastle made a lively start to proceedings and showed very little fear in the face of the visitors, but the first half-sight of goal fell to City. Manuel Akanji collected Jack Grealish’s cut-back five minutes in but saw his effort deflected wide.

City controlled possession but looked vulnerable at the back, with Newcastle regularly getting in down the right wing. Jacob Murphy’s devilish cross fizzed past the box, before Kieran Trippier’s strike took the wind out of a lunging Grealish.

Against the run of play, City took the lead with ten minutes remaining in the first half. The lively Grealish got beyond Trippier and played in to Gvardiol, who cut inside Dan Burn and slotted a composed effort into the bottom corner.

Ilkay Gundogan tried to double City’s advantage after Nick Pope’s poor pass but, rather than try and work a two-on-one with Erling Haaland, sent a tame chip into the grateful arms of the retreating Newcastle stopper.

In the dying embers of the first half, Ederson needed to make his first real save to stop a crashing strike from Joelinton, before Harvey Barnes saw his effort deflected wide.

The high tempo of the game continued into the second half and Newcastle were awarded the chance to get back into proceedings when Gordon was tripped by Ederson as he tried to round the City goalkeeper. Gordon stepped up to the spot and made no mistake to tie things up shortly before the hour mark.

Substitute Phil Foden fired straight at Pope as City tried to reclaim their advantage, before a frustrated Haaland skewed a tough header wide at the back post.

Both sides tried until the final whistle to find a winning goal, and Pope had to be alert to make an excellent late save from Bernardo Silva, but there was to be no separating the two teams before the final whistle.

GK: Nick Pope – 6/10 – Wasn’t particularly busy but his poor pass perhaps should have seen City double their advantage late in the first half. A great late save to deny Silva.

RB: Kieran Trippier – 6/10 – Largely impressive, particularly in attack, but was beaten by…