Newcastle serves warning by giving City big fright in EPL
The Saudi-funded squad could look back on this match as the one when it truly emerged as a force in soccer if Newcastle is competing for Premier League and Champions League crowns as generally predicted in the future.
In a thrilling 3-3 draw on Sunday, few opponents have given Manchester City the type of beating Newcastle did in the first half.
And in the 54th minute, when Kieran Trippier curled a spectacular free kick into the top corner to give raging Newcastle a 3-1 lead, it appeared as though City might suffer one of its worst Premier League defeats under Pep Guardiola.
Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva's goals in the 60th and 64th minutes, respectively, after a magnificent ball from Kevin De Bruyne, rescued a point that Guardiola would be happy to take for City. This is why they are the reigning champions.
Trippier added, "We declared before the game that we intended to go toe-to-toe with them and that's what we did. It only demonstrates how far we've come.
Indeed, this came from a growing force in European soccer over a year into Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund's rule, which has drawn charges of sportswashing.
Newcastle has undergone a transformation after the first two transfer windows of the current era. Even compared to a few months earlier, when City routed Eddie Howe's squad 5-0 on the way to winning the title the previous year.
Ilkay Gundogan gave City the lead in the fifth minute, but they were then hammered by relentless Newcastle assaults, which resulted in goals from Miguel Almiron and Callum Wilson just before halftime.
The Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin, who created the most of City's issues, remarked, "We really wanted to win that game to show the world what we are capable of accomplishing.
After three games, neither team had lost, with City giving up points for the first time. The victorious team will probably be pleased to leave St. James' Park with a point.
The toughest opponents, without a doubt, are Newcastle, according to Guardiola.
LEEDS POWERED BY AMERICANS
Leeds is emerging as one of the biggest Premier League early-season shocks because to its American contingent.
On Sunday, Chelsea clearly couldn't handle them.
Leeds capitalized on a poor error by Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to take the lead through American winger Brenden Aaronson in the 33rd minute and go on to win 3-0 at Elland Road.
Jack Harrison and Rodrigo both assisted on the second and third goals, the latter of which he scored for a league-high fourth time this year.
With seven points out of a possible nine, the club led by American Jesse Marsch has moved up to third position after defeating Wolverhampton and drawing at Southampton, where it blew a 2-0 lead.
WEST HAM TROUBLE
West Ham might be in for a challenging season this time around after two Premier League seasons under David Moyes that exceeded expectations.
West Ham opened the season with a third straight loss after losing to Brighton 2-0 at home. Given that Brighton had won all ten of their previous matches in the Premier League, perhaps it was to be anticipated.
West Ham, who placed seventh last season and sixth in 2020–21, is now in last position after losing 1-0 to Nottingham Forest and 2-0 to Man City.
Thilo Kehrer, a defender who was just acquired from Paris Saint-Germain, had a difficult full debut. His Premier League career got off to a rocky start as he pulled down Danny Welbeck and gave up a penalty that Alexis MacAllister successfully converted.
