It was Nico O’Reilly who provided the decisive edge. The young midfielder struck twice in a breathless first half, either side of a Newcastle equaliser from Lewis Hall, to lay the foundations for a victory that heaps pressure on Arsenal ahead of Sunday’s north London derby at Tottenham.
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Manchester City moved to within two points of Arsenal after a tense and hard-fought victory over Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium, keeping the title race finely poised.
The Gunners had opened the door in midweek, surrendering a two-goal advantage against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and City wasted little time in attempting to capitalise. Yet this was no straightforward assignment for Pep Guardiola’s side, as Newcastle – fresh from a 5,000-mile round trip to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag FK in a Champions League play-off – pushed them to the limit.
It was Nico O’Reilly who provided the decisive edge. The young midfielder struck twice in a breathless first half, either side of a Newcastle equaliser from Lewis Hall, to lay the foundations for a victory that heaps pressure on Arsenal ahead of Sunday’s north London derby at Tottenham.
City began with their customary intensity and were rewarded in the 14th minute. O’Reilly’s fierce drive from distance squirmed through the grasp of Nick Pope, the Newcastle goalkeeper getting a hand to the effort but unable to keep it out. The early breakthrough lifted the Etihad, sensing the opportunity to close the gap at the summit.
Newcastle, however, refused to wilt. After City failed to deal with a corner, Hall’s strike took a deflection off Rayan Aït-Nouri and wrong-footed Gianluigi Donnarumma, levelling the contest and briefly unsettling the home side.
Parity lasted only 13 minutes. Antoine Semenyo showed sharp determination to win possession ahead of Nick Woltemade and slipped in Erling Haaland. The Norwegian delivered an inviting cross to the far post, where O’Reilly rose highest to head home his second of the afternoon.
The second half was fraught with anxiety for City. Newcastle, undeterred by their recent European travels, pressed with energy and intent, forcing Donnarumma into important interventions and ensuring Guardiola’s men could not relax.
But City held firm. The final whistle brought a roar of relief as much as celebration, confirmation that the champions remain firmly in pursuit. With Arsenal now looking over their shoulder, the pressure has shifted decisively ahead of a pivotal weekend in the title race.
