Erling Haaland helped Manchester City fight back from 3-1 down to salvage a 3-3 draw from an enthralling encounter at Newcastle on Sunday.
Despite Ilkay Gundogan’s early opener for City, Newcastle had the champions on the ropes as goals from Miguel Almiron, Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier had St. James’ Park rocking.
But Haaland sparked the revival when he fired home his third goal since joining from Borussia Dortmund before Bernardo Silva’s equaliser extended City’s unbeaten start to the season.
Pep Guardiola’s men move up to second, two points adrift of Arsenal, but missed the chance to open up a seven-point advantage on Liverpool ahead of their trip to Manchester United on Monday.
Newcastle have not splashed the cash of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund to the extent expected in the transfer window with Nick Pope, Matt Targett, and Sven Botman the only signings made by the Magpies.
But they showed they are now a force to be reckoned with, even for the Premier League’s elite, by pushing City to the limit.
Newcastle had taken four points from their opening two games without conceding a goal.
That record was wiped out within five minutes as City quickly took control.
Silva was recalled to Pep Guardiola’s starting line-up for the first time in the Premier League this season with the midfielder linked with a move to Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
The Portuguese international made an immediate impact as his cross was controlled and finished by Gundogan.
Pope then had to make good stops with his feet from Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden to keep his side in the game.
But Newcastle’s intensity and energy soon swarmed over City with the pace of Allan Saint-Maximin causing havoc.
Almiron blasted over a glorious chance from Saint-Maximin’s cross before Wilson should have done better than a tame shot into the arms of Ederson when a corner broke his way.
Newcastle’s pressure finally got its reward on 28 minutes and it was a sweet moment for Almiron, who was mocked by Jack Grealish during City’s title celebrations at the end of last season.
The Paraguayan’s finish was unorthodox as Saint-Maximin’s cross came off his thigh to leave Ederson with no chance.
Saint-Maximin was the creator again as Newcastle turned the game around before half-time as Wilson latched onto his pass and prodded beyond Ederson.
Haaland had been kept quiet before the break but exploded into life with the smallest glimpse of an opportunity in the second half and came within inches of an equaliser as his fierce low shot was turned onto the post by Pope.
Moments later, City looked destined for a first Premier League defeat since February when Trippier curled a brilliant free-kick into the top corner after John Stones resorted to hauling down Saint-Maximin on the edge of the box.
Haaland’s predatory instincts were on full show as he started the comeback by firing into the roof of the net when Rodri knocked a set-piece back across goal.
The Norwegian then showed the other side to his game as his electric pace burst onto De Bruyne’s through ball and forced Pope to come flying off this line to block.
De Bruyne’s next defence-splitting pass did lead to the equaliser as Silva produced a composed finish to level at 3-3.
The drama did not end there, even if the scoring did, as Trippier had a straight red card for a late lunge on De Bruyne reduced to a yellow after a VAR review.
But City failed to turn their momentum into a winner in the closing stages as they blinked for the first time in their title defence.
Player ratings
Newcastle: Pope (8), Trippier (7), Schar (6), Botman (5), Burn (6), Guimaraes (7), Joelinton (7), Willock (7), Almiron (7), Wilson (7), Saint-Maximin (9).
Subs: Wood (6), Longstaff (6), Murphy, Krafth (n/a).
Manchester City: Ederson (6), Walker (5), Stones (5), Ake (6), Cancelo (7), Gungodan (7), Rodri (7), De Bruyne (8), Foden (6), Haaland (7), Silva (7).
Subs:Dias (5).
Player of the match: Allain Saint-Maximin.
Match Analysis: Two points dropped, but positives all round
"On the one hand, both Newcastle and Manchester City had different reasons to be disappointed to take a draw at St James' Park when at different points, they would have expected all three.
"But on the other, there were positives for both camps from a memorable game for the neutral as both teams displayed their technical and mental qualities over the 90 minutes.
"There is a reason City came into the game with 27 wins from their previous 28 games when scoring first. Once they go in front, they do not take their foot off the gas. Many teams wilt under the pressure, but Newcastle stood strong after Ilkay Gundogan's fifth-minute opener.
"They remained true to the positive game plan Eddie Howe had promised before kick-off, did not allow Manchester City to dictate the game and instead completed a deserved first-half turnaround through a display of clinical but superb counter-attacking football.
"Kieran Trippier and Allain Saint-Maximin's faces told their disappointment in the result when they spoke to Sky Sports after the game, but in the cold light of day Newcastle will reflect on an excellent performance when they made the most of their own qualities against a technically superior side.
"For City, although there will be concerns around Newcastle's first-half domination in midfield, they are well aware of the dangers of their style on the break, and Pep Guardiola will not be overly concerned.
"He will be impressed - although again unsurprised - by how they came through a major early-season test, however, wrestling back the momentum at a raucous St James' Park to rescue a point.
"With the quality of Erling Haaland's positioning and runs and Kevin De Bruyne's form hitting its heights, the opening three games have given Pep plenty to be positive about at the Etihad and no team will go through the season without dropping points - City are just as much the team to beat as they were at 4.30pm.
Next Matches?
Newcastle play away from home twice this week, first visiting Tranmere in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, kick-off at 7.45pm, before next Sunday when they face Wolves at Molineux; kick-off at 2pm.
Manchester City play Barcelona in a charity friendly at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night; kick-off at 8.30pm, before hosting Crystal Palace next Saturday; kick-off at 3pm.
OTHER RESULTS
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