Sky Blue News: Cleaning Up Newcastle, Mid-Week Friendly, the End for Ellen, and More...

Tuesday is upon us. City are in Girona getting ready for the friendly against Barcelona, and we’v got all the headlines to catch you up. Let’s get to it.

Newcastle 3-3 Man City: Bernardo Silva earns champions draw after two-goal comeback - Ron Walker - Sky Sports

City had won 27 of their previous 28 games when scoring first but, after Ilkay Gundogan’s early opener, that record looked in danger as they fell 3-1 behind through a display of intensity and attacking intent labelled a “brilliant response” by Eddie Howe.

Allan Saint-Maximin made all three of Newcastle’s goals as City found it impossible to deal with the winger’s pace and power, first crossing for Miguel Almiron to level with a diving header which was initially ruled out for offside before a VAR intervention.

After a surging run forward Saint-Maximin then found Callum Wilson for the second, with the striker beating Ruben Dias before firing past Ederson. Kieran Trippier then curled in a third with a stunning free-kick after Saint-Maximin had been fouled by John Stones.

But City, unbeaten in the Premier League since February, would not go down without a fight and were given a lifeline when Erling Haaland rifled home from a corner, before Bernardo Silva finished off a piece of genius playmaking from Kevin De Bruyne to level things up again.

Newcastle Test Provides Timely Warning to Manchester City = Emmanuel Odey - Bitter and Blue

Well-experienced in these matters, the City boss promptly dismissed any talk of having an advantage in the title race so early in the day. The objective as always was to focus on the next game and see where that leads the team.

If there was any need to prove the manager was right, it came in the game against Newcastle. Despite taking the lead so early in the encounter, the home side stormed back to score two goals and quickly turned the game on its head.

Adding the third in the second half to take the score to 3-1 only compounded the problem for the Blues. For a moment it looked like an occasion for handing over power to the next king. It was set up as a feast for the media, ready to proclaim the match as one that marked the dethronement of City as the dominant team in the land by the new “King” in the making.

But the Blues fought back to earn a share of the spoils and underlined the fact that rising to the top and staying there wasn’t just a matter of money. Newcastle may be the new money bags, but City remain the “Kings of England”.

Five Things We Learned: Newcastle United 3-3 Manchester City (Premier League) - Srinivas Sadhanand - City Xtra

Srinivas learned the this Erling Haaland fella might just be as good as advertised.

To those that were sceptical about the 22 year-old’s link-up play, his bullying of Joe Willock and impeccable outside-the-boot pass to Kevin De Bruyne in the first half was as textbook a piece of centre-forward play that you are likely to come across.

Erling Haaland did that on a number of occasions against the Magpies, as he dropped in between the lines and kept things ticking with his excellent one-touch passing that elevated the Sky Blues’ threat in transition.

Humble pie was in store for those that questioned the youngster’s comfortability on the ball, as they witnessed him take a sublime first touch to ghost pass Fabian Schär and then, Sven Botman before his venomous strike was struck on to the post by an in-form Nick Pope.

While his off-the-ball movement, finishing and superhuman upper body strength was never in doubt to the masses, the wonderkid ticked every aforementioned box, before all his good work was eventually rewarded with an instinctive volley into the back of the net.

Man City manager Pep Guardiola gives verdict on Kieran Trippier red card incident - Alex Brotherton - Manchester Evening News

Not surprisingly, Pep thinks it was a red. In the interest of full disclosure, I agree with him.

The City academy graduate hacked De Bruyne down without any attempt to play the ball, catching his knee with the outside of his boot. De Bruyne reacted furiously to the challenge, before referee Jarred Gillett promptly issued Trippier with a straight red card.

The decision was overturned by the VAR, with the defender’s punishment downgraded from red to yellow. After the match Guardiola was asked whether he thought the right decision was made.

“I didn’t watch it [a replay]. I watched the action, he wanted to stop heavily a counter-attack but I didn’t watch on TV so I don’t know. If a referee went to the VAR, saw the action and if he believes it’s not a red card it’s not a red card.”

But when asked whether he thought it was a red card challenge on first viewing he said: “Probably, yeah, but I don’t want to be involved in that. I think the foul was clear but I don’t know if it’s a red card.

The VAR Review: Kieran Trippier’s red card, marginal offsides, handball by Lucas Digne - Dale Johnson - ESPN FC

Johnson breaks down why he feels yellow was the correct decision.

Overturned red card: Trippier foul on De Bruyne

What happened: With the score 3-3, Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne broke forward across the halfway line and was brought down by Newcastle United defender Kieran Trippier. Referee Jarred Gillett showed the red card.

VAR decision: The VAR, Peter Bankes, advised the card be downgraded to yellow.

VAR review: This decision might split some supporters, because there’s no doubt the Trippier challenge was cynical and calculated, but a yellow card feels like the correct decision.

It does present a comparison with a similar VAR situation involving Newcastle last season, when the opposite happened as referee Craig Pawson booked Everton’s Allan for a challenge on Allan Saint-Maximin and the VAR (Stuart Attwell) advised he should be sent off. The key difference between the challenges is the way Allan leads with his studs showing, which is always viewed more seriously.

FC Barcelona vs Manchester City: Where to Watch and Why It’s Happening - Matt Skinner - City Transfer Room

City head to Catalonia for a fundraising match to help one of Pep’s old friends.

Former Barcelona goalkeeper and coach Juan Carlos Unzué was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) two years ago. This match will help fund research at the Luzón Foundation.

Unzué is a former teammate of Guardiola and was part of the coaching staff under the Manchester City manager during his time in charge at Barcelona where Guardiola won 14 trophies over four years.

“This is an honour for us,” Guardiola said in June.

“We want to thank Barca for inviting us to this wonderful venue. We will tell our players why this matters so much. It is admirable. I am very happy to come.”

It’s a strange time for a friendly with it being three days before a Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace, with Guardiola returning to the Camp Nou, but he has praised the friendly and the cause it represents.

“We will be together for a few days; our chairman (Khaldoon Al Mubarak) will be there with us for three days,” he said.

ELLEN WHITE ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM FOOTBALL - ManCity.com

The City and England legend has announced her retirement. Seems like only yesterday she joined from Notts County.

Her scintillating form for the Midlands outfit caught the eye of City meanwhile, and ahead of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup – a tournament where she went on to earn the Bronze Boot - the forward put pen to paper on a two-year deal at the Academy Stadium.

Making her debut for the Club in a UEFA Women’s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid in October of that year, she went on to rack up 90 appearances in three seasons, finding the back of the net 34 times.

Becoming only the second player to reach 50 goals in the WSL in November 2020 with a brace against Bristol City, she earned the mantle of the being the league’s then all-time goalscorer with her strike in a 2-1 win over Arsenal in February 2021.

Silverware also featured prominently during her time in Manchester, with her earning a third Women’s FA Cup winners’ medal in November 2020 before captaining the team to Continental Tyres League Cup success against Chelsea in March 2022.

Man City star and England hero Ellen White announces retirement from football - Alex Brotherton - Manchester Evening News

White leaves after helping the Lionesses reach new heights. Congrats on a great career.

England’s all-time leading goal-scorer joined City in the summer of 2019 and scored 34 goals in 90 games in all competitions for the Blues. She played a key role in a successful period for the club, helping City to win the Women’s FA Cup in 2019/20 before captaining the side to FA WSL Cup glory last season.

White also enjoyed spells at Chelsea, Leeds Carnegie, Arsenal, Notts County and Birmingham City before moving up to Manchester, and in 2021 she became the then-record goal-scorer in Women’s Super League history.

However, her greatest achievement is undoubtedly winning the 2022 Women’s European Championship with England. The striker started all six of the Lionesses’ games including the final at Wembley, in which England defeated Germany 2-1 to win a first-ever major trophy.

Bernardo Silva: “I’m happy here. I’m doing my best to help the club.” - Saul Garcia - Bitter and Blue

And finally... After everything over the last few weeks, Bernardo proclaims his happiness with the club after scoring the goal that earned City a point on the road.

Bernardo Silva returned to the starting lineup as City played to a draw vs Newcastle. The tea played well and with Bernardo operating as a right wing, had some good moments and did evens core. Speaking after the match, the Portuguese star had a lot to say:

“It was a very intense game. We started very well,” he said. “The first 15 minutes were ours. My perception on the pitch was that we started attacking too quick.

“When we start playing like this and it’s too quick it’s better for the opponents. The last 25 or 30 minutes of the first half were very tough. They could have scored more than twice in that time.

“Overall we played quite well but not controlling their counter-attacks and runners. You’ll suffer and that’s what happened today.

“We should have controlled the game better than we did today. We scored the third goal in the 64th minute. It was very early.

“I’m a bit disappointed we didn’t score the fourth. But still a good reaction from the team.”

There you have it. Check back tomorrow as we take you through the match in Barcelona, right here at Bitter and Blue.