Newcastle serve warning by giving City big fright in EPL

LONDON, England (AP):

In years to come, if Newcastle are contending for English Premier League (EPL) and Champions League titles, as widely expected, the Saudi-funded team might look back on yesterday’s game as the one when they truly arrived as a force in soccer.

Few opponents have given Manchester City the kind of battering Newcastle dished out in the first half of a rip-roaring 3-3 draw yesterday.

And when Kieran Trippier curled a stunning free kick into the top corner to put a rampant Newcastle 3-1 ahead in the 54th minute, it looked as if City were going to slump to one of their heaviest Premier League losses under Pep Guardiola.

However, City are the defending champions for a reason, and goals in the 60th by Erling Haaland and the 64th by Bernardo Silva – following a wondrous pass from Kevin De Bruyne – salvaged a point that will be gratefully accepted by Guardiola.

“We said before the game we wanted to go toe-to-toe with them and that’s what we did,” Trippier said. “It just shows how far we’ve come.”

Indeed, this was a warning served by one of European football’s growing forces nearly a year into the reign of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which has invited accusations of ‘sportswashing’.

After two transfer windows of the new era, Newcastle are a team transformed. Even compared to a few months ago, with City having swept aside Eddie Howe’s team 5-0 as recently as May on the way to clinching the title last season.

City went ahead through Ilkay Gundogan in the fifth minute, only to be pummelled by wave after wave of Newcastle attacks that led to goals from Miguel Almiron and Callum Wilson before half-time.

“We really wanted to win that game to show the world what we are capable of doing,” said Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin, who caused most of the problems for City.

Both teams remain unbeaten after three games, with City dropping points for the first time. The champions will likely be happy to escape from St James’ Park with a point.

“Newcastle are becoming one of the toughest opponents, for sure,” Guardiola said.

AMERICANS POWERING LEEDS

With its contingent of Americans, Leeds are proving to be one of the big early-season surprises in the Premier League.

Chelsea certainly couldn’t handle them yesterday.

Leeds gained from a bad mistake from Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to take a 33rd-minute lead through US winger Brenden Aaronson and went on to win 3-0 at Elland Road.

Rodrigo, with his league-high fourth goal of the season, and Jack Harrison set each other up for the second and third goals, respectively.

The team, coached by American Jesse Marsch, is up to third place on seven points from a possible nine, having already beaten Wolverhampton and drawn at Southampton, where they squandered a 2-0 lead.

In another match yesterday, Brighton blanked West Ham 2-0.