One of Newcastle’s heroes last night was an academy product, Sean Longstaff.
The youngster seemed to cover every blade of grass and won the match winning penalty after putting the pressure on Fernandinho.
As Manchester City looked to play out from the back, the Magpies applied the squeeze. The 21-year-old nicked the ball off the Brazilian, only to be brought down in the box.
Matt Ritchie converted, but Longstaff deserves the plaudits for winning it.
However, this wasn’t the only positive aspect of his performance.
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The local lad was in a midfield up against David Silva, Kevin de Bruyne and Fernandinho, yet still held his own. He got in their faces and stopped them playing through the middle.
Guardiola praises Longstaff and Hayden
Alongside Isaac Hayden, who also did well, Longstaff put in another accomplished performance. As well as the adulation of the Toon Army, Longstaff also got praise from Pep Guardiola.
“We could not deal with Newcastle’s holding midfielders,” Guardiola told the Chronicle.
And he’s right. City didn’t know how to get past them. It wasn’t for lack of trying, as the Premier League champions dominated possession.
If you’d told anyone at the start of the season that Longstaff would play a key role in beating Manchester City, they’d think you were crazy. The lad wasn’t even close to making his debut, let alone starring in a victory over a team like Manchester City.
Longstaff has adapted to Premier League football at an alarming rate. He made his debut amid an injury crisis, but now you’d argue he should start every game.
When Jonjo Shelvey, Ki Sung-yueng and Mo Diame return, they’ll have to work hard to win a place in Newcastle’s midfield.