Man City fight back in thriller at Newcastle

Quickfire goals by Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva helped Manchester City recover from two goals down to draw 3-3 with Newcastle United in a rip-roaring Premier League clash at St James' Park on Sunday.

Neither side had conceded a goal in the league this season but Ilkay Gundogan opened the scoring for champions City in the fifth minute, ghosting in and catching the Newcastle defence flat-footed before finishing from close range.

The home side levelled through Miguel Almiron in the 28th minute as he bundled a pinpoint cross from Allan Saint-Maximin into the net before enduring a nervous VAR check that allowed the goal to stand.

Newcastle looked set to pull off a huge upset when they went a goal up through Callum Wilson before halftime, and a brilliant free kick by Kieran Trippier nine minutes after the break put them 3-1 ahead.

That sparked City into life, however, with Haaland hitting a post before pulling a goal back on the hour mark and Silva converted a glorious pass from Kevin De Bruyne to make it 3-3.

City dominated possession in the final stages but had to settle for a draw that left them second in the table on seven points, two behind leaders Arsenal. Newcastle are sixth on five points.

Earlier Leeds United produced a relentless display to earn a 3-0 victory over Chelsea as they continued to impress under American coach Jesse Marsch.

In a raucous Elland Road atmosphere, two goals in five first-half minutes saw the hosts race into a 2-0 lead with Chelsea, who finished with 10 men, unable to cope with the intensity.

The opener came after an error from away goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, allowing American Brenden Aaronson in to score his first Premier League goal on 33 minutes, before Rodrigo headed in his fourth of the season to make it two.

There was no letting up from Leeds as they put the game to bed with a 69th-minute third through Jack Harrison, before Chelsea’s close-season signing Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off late on.

A second victory from three at the start of the new campaign came at a canter from there on in, helping Leeds climb to second in the standings with seven points, while Chelsea’s first loss leaves them down in 12th with four.

Looking to get back to winning ways after a fiery draw with Tottenham Hotspur last time out, Chelsea flew out of the traps, with Raheem Sterling flashing a strike wide after 36 seconds.

Tackles were flying in the West Yorkshire sunshine as the intensity remained high. Harrison also went close early on, and Sterling had the ball in the net 15 minutes in, but was correctly ruled offside.

Mason Mount was next to go close, bringing a fine save out of home goalkeeper Illan Meslier, only for Mendy to gift the hosts the lead. The Senegal international made a mess of collecting a pass from Thiago Silva and was dispossessed by Aaronson, who walked the ball home.

The home fans enjoyed the opener against traditionally one of their fiercest rivals — animosity that stretches back to the 1970s — with the roof almost coming off Elland Road after in-form Brazilian forward Rodrigo headed home the second from Harrison’s free kick.

Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel rang the changes in the second half, but the visitors,
other than Reece James’ drilled effort that was tipped wide by Meslier, never looked like getting into the match.

Harrison’s close-range finish was no more than the home side deserved, ensuring they could stroll to a second successive home league win — a feat they did not achieve all last season.

A second yellow card for an innocuous foul from Koulibaly left the home fans heading for the exits with beaming smiles.

At the same time Brighton & Hove Albion maintained their impressive start to the season and piled on the misery for West Ham United with a 2-0 victory at the London Stadium. Reuters