Beren

Gerrin (no shield)!

Thought Gordon did well. Difficult chance, did well, bit unlucky.

I'm not a big fan of Isak being asked to play like Almiron. Pressing and chasing lost causes. I'm not saying he should be an exclusive "service striker", but it definitely feels like a misuse of a premier asset to have him too fatigued whenever he gets on the ball to take on players, and visibly flagging after 65-70 minutes each game. Would love to see Newcastle re-think this next year as part of summer planning.

Bright start. Confident on the ball.

Burn was strong last game. And if Murphy can't go the distance Tino is a good replacement off the bench. With what's available I don't hate the team selection.

Midfield is a bit lightweight without big Joe. Need the good Longstaff who stays on his feet today.

Good result without really showing much. Isak holding and holding and holding his runs for balls that never came. Oh well. Burn was so good and physical at the back. Need some more players back.

Not complaining but... why?

Just erased five minutes. We'd be browning our kegs repeatedly.

An absolute clinic in game management by Man City here after the goal.

Best case scenario this is all orchestrated with Joelinton's consent, and that they're seeking to stop other clubs marking up their players and charging NUFC a rich-owner premia whenever we are looking to buy players. Otherwise feels a bit Pardewy.

Just seems completely unnecessary to discuss this level of detail with the press. Feels a bit small time. If we're looking to attract top level talent this summer, this is not sending the right message about our ambitions to prospective players IMO. It's uncharacteristic, like I said, but weird all the same.

It's uncharacteristically Pardewy if we're being honest. Especially combined with being overtly flattered Bayern are interested in one of our players.

There is something to be said for him being a progress stopper for Tino, but then again Tino could probably learn a fair bit from him too. It's a no-lose situation IMO. I'd probably be marginally in favour of shifting him if we can recoup £20m+.

The future of NUFC. I'm not suggesting we sell him for a packet of crisps, but Tino will almost definitely be better than him in two years time - reasonably close now. I don't think he's the second best player either. He's been important in transforming the culture in the team, but we need to look to next season now really.

Fond of Trippier, but that'd be a great move from Newcastle tbh.

Tbf you don't need to have medical knowledge to know medical advice isn't being followed. Apparently, this is quite intrinsic to Howe philosophy and elements of this are reasonably self-evident from what you see on the pitch, how the team presses, how it manages games, how it doesn't rotate players and what we even saw "backstage" in the Amazon doc. But beneath the surface Howe hasn't historically bought players who might be overworked. If a player has a niggle, he will test them at 125% of their max in preseason. If a sub comes on for 5 minutes and doesn't demonstrate exemplary fitness, they don't get another opportunity (which spectacularly backfired wth the injury crisis). At least one person at the club was aghast but the sports science team are all Howe-appointed "max out" bros and refuted medical challenge (although apparently they are finally beginning to relent with this latest Joelinton issue - as he was the latest example of a player previously flagged at being at risk getting injured, they are now re-examining the return to play protocol). But this is not the first instance of this, of course, most prominently with Jacob Murphy when no one was listened to by management and predictably lasted all of 5 minutes. It's not terminal or anything but as I have more subtly implied previously, management needs to evolve off the pitch as well as on it over the summer. Your primary (only?) strategy to compete can't just be outworking opponents across three/four competitions - it's unsustainable. Particularly with questionable quality in even the first XI - which is just a reality of FFP we need to live with, and address over time.

I've heard different. Watching injured players hobble around the pitch for 90 mins (where Howe definitely has responsibility) leads me to believe this.

Yeah a little bit. NUFC get stage fright around me IRL.

I'd be interested, but would prefer NUFC progress tbh.

Gordon too I think.

I said a while ago that the team goes as Joelinton does, and the first half performance typified that. He's such a boss Opposition just back the fuck off when he's in the area, it's great. And with good reason. I know he's not Zidane but he can really dictate games. Think he's in my favourite all time NUFC XI now, you know.

Credit to the players and Howe for turning up from minute one. Set the tone immediately. Surprising lack of resistance from the mackems but still a good professional job from Newcastle.