Newcastle United went head-to-head with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium this Sunday, aiming to secure a positive result in their Premier League campaign. The Magpies had a sluggish start and found themselves trailing in the 14th minute when Nico O’Reilly opened the scoring. Nevertheless, Lewis Hall equalized for Newcastle just eight minutes later. However, O’Reilly struck again in the 27th minute, leaving Eddie Howe’s side behind 2-1 at halftime.
Despite their efforts, the Tyneside team was unable to turn the game around in the second half, ultimately suffering a 2-1 defeat at the Etihad.
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Let’s assess the performance of each Newcastle United player during the match against Manchester City.
Pope made several crucial saves throughout the match, but he will be disappointed to have conceded two goals in the first half.
RB: Kieran Trippier – 6.5/10
Trippier’s defensive performance was lacking at times, although he did show some promise going forward.
CB: Malick Thiaw – 7/10
Thiaw executed his defensive responsibilities well and demonstrated good passing accuracy.
CB: Dan Burn – 6.5/10
Burn was solid defensively and strong in aerial duels.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 21: Lewis Hall of Newcastle United celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium on February 21, 2026, in Manchester, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
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LB: Lewis Hall – 7.5/10
Hall had a commendable performance on both ends and was instrumental in equalizing for Newcastle in the 22nd minute.
CM: Jacob Ramsey – 7.5/10
Ramsey contributed defensively and created some promising opportunities in the offensive third.
CM: Sandro Tonali – 6.5/10
Tonali struggled with defensive responsibilities in the first half but generated two promising chances in attack.
CM: Joe Willock – 6/10
Willock found it difficult to influence the match and was substituted in the 59th minute.
RW: Anthony Elanga – 6/10
Elanga failed to make an impact on the right wing and was taken off in the 77th minute.
ST: Nick Woltemade – 6.5/10
Woltemade showed moments of promise in attack but couldn’t find the back of the net.
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LW: Anthony Gordon – 6.5/10
Gordon created some challenges for his marker but never looked likely to score.
Substitutes:
CM: Joelinton – 6.5/10
Joelinton injected energy into Howe’s midfield upon his introduction.
LW: Harvey Barnes – 6/10
Barnes had little impact during his time on the pitch.
RW: Jacob Murphy – 6/10
Murphy struggled to find his rhythm in the match.