NEWCASTLE: Given, Beye, Taylor, Cacapa, N'Zogbia, Milner, Butt, Faye (Emre 73), Duff (Jose Enrique 64), Viduka, Martins (Owen 46).
Toon Hope To Smash Impressive Man City Record!
NEWCASTLE: Given, Beye, Taylor, Cacapa, N'Zogbia, Milner, Butt, Faye (Emre 73), Duff (Jose Enrique 64), Viduka, Martins (Owen 46).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Rozehnal.
MAN CITY: Hart, Onuoha, Richards, Dunne, Ball, Ireland (Gelson 75), Hamann, Elano (Etuhu 71), Corluka, Petrov,Vassell (Bianchi 88).
Subs Not Used: Isaksson, Garrido.
Beleaguered Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce was plunged deeper into trouble as Manchester City ended their wait for a Premier League win on the road at the worst possible moment for the former Bolton boss.The 53-year-old, who had seen his side take just one point from the previous nine despite facing struggling Derby at home and Wigan at the JJB Stadium, dominated for long periods, but simply could not make the pressure tell as City staged a classic smash and grab raid.
Even the returning Michael Owen could not turn the tide as he passed up a glorious opportunity to equalise within 35 seconds of his introduction as a half-time substitute.
By contrast, Sven-Goran Eriksson's side produced two top-quality finishes from Elano and substitute Gelson Fernandes to kill off a game which gave them their first win in the league away from home since the opening day of the season.
2006/7 NEWCASTLE UTD 0 MAN CITY 1 (Mpenza 80)
NEWCASTLE: Given, Carr, Moore (Onyewu 73), Taylor, Babayaro, Solano (Milner 76), Butt, Parker, Duff, Dyer (Sibierski 77), Martins.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Emre.
MAN CITY: Isaksson, Onuoha (Trabelsi 85), Dunne, Distin, Ball, Jihai, Barton, Hamann (Samaras 46), Johnson, Vassell, Mpenza.
Subs Not Used: Weaver, Corradi, Miller.
Newcastle's slim hopes of European qualification were ended as Manchester City snatched an invaluable victory at St James' Park.Emile Mpenza, who scored his first goal for the club at Middlesbrough a fortnight ago, struck 10 minutes from time to claim a second win in as many games and further ease the pressure on manager Stuart Pearce.
The toothless Magpies were booed from the pitch by a crowd of 52,004 after a disjointed and uninspired display, although defender Steven Taylor might have snatched a point at the death with a header which hit the crossbar.
2005/6 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (Owen 18) MAN CITY 0
NEWCASTLE: Given, Carr, Boumsong, Bramble, Babayaro, Bowyer (Faye 70), Clark, Parker, N'Zogbia, Shearer (Ameobi 76), Owen.
Subs Not Used: Elliott, Harper, Moore.
MAN CITY: James, Onuoha, Distin, Dunne, Thatcher, Jihai, Barton, Reyna, Musampa (Ireland 60), Sibierski (Croft 76), Vassell.
Subs Not Used: Sommeil, De Vlieger, Jordan.
Michael Owen's second Newcastle goal handed his side a first Barclays Premiership victory at St James' Park in eight attempts as Manchester City lost for the third time in a week.
The England striker slotted past international team-mate David James on 18 minutes to complete a good week for the Magpies and manager Graeme Souness.
Owen might have collected a hat-trick on a day when his side, despite still missing Kieron Dyer, Emre, Nolberto Solano and Albert Luque, turned in a much-improved display until nerves started to take effect late in the game with a disappointing City mounting a fightback.
But a makeshift midfield and a much-criticised defence, in which the returning Titus Bramble was excellent, did their jobs to the letter to ensure that the points stayed on Tyneside.
The corresponding fixture last season finished 4-3 to the home side, but there is little doubt that Souness will have been much happier this time around as his side kept a clean sheet despite a torrid conclusion to the game and created plenty of chances of their own.
For once, the players left the pitch on the final whistle to cheers from the bulk of a crowd of 52,280 with three points banked for the first time since Liverpool left the North-East empty-handed on March 5.
NEWCASTLE UTD v MAN CITY PREMIERSHIP HISTORY ...
2007/2008 Wed 02 Jan Newcastle Utd. 0 - 2 Man. City Premier League
Sat 29 Sep Man. City 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premier League
2006/2007 Sat 31 Mar Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Man. City Premiership
Sat 11 Nov Man. City 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2005/2006 Wed 01 Feb Man. City 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 24 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Man. City Premiership
2004/2005 Wed 02 Feb Man. City 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sun 24 Oct Newcastle Utd. 4 - 3 Man. City Premiership
2003/2004 Sat 01 May Man. City 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 22 Nov Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 Man. City Premiership
2002/2003 Sat 18 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Man. City Premiership
Sat 24 Aug Man. City 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2001/2002 Sun 17 Feb Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Man. City F.A. Cup
2000/2001 Sat 24 Feb Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Man. City Premiership
Sat 30 Sep Man. City 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1995/1996 Sat 24 Feb Man. City 3 - 3 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 16 Sep Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Man. City Premiership
1994/1995 Sat 29 Apr Man. City 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sun 19 Feb Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Man. City F.A. Cup
Mon 02 Jan Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Man. City Premiership
Wed 21 Dec Newcastle Utd. 0 - 2 Man. City League Cup
Wed 30 Nov Man. City 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. League Cup
1993/1994 Sat 09 Apr Man. City 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 01 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Man. City Premiership