In a dramatic turn of events, Kevin de Bruyne orchestrated a stunning late comeback, securing a 3-2 victory for Manchester City against Newcastle United on Saturday. De Bruyne, making his first Premier League appearance since the season opener, entered as a substitute in the 69th minute and turned the tide with a clinical equaliser. His decisive pass in stoppage time set up Oscar Bobb to seal the win, propelling champions City into second place, just two points behind Liverpool.
“The Belgian midfielder, out since August because of a hamstring injury, came off the bench… equalised with a clinically low finish,” reported Reuters.
City initially took the lead through Bernardo Silva’s sublime close-range finish in the 26th minute. However, Newcastle responded strongly, with Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon scoring within two minutes to give the home team a 2-1 advantage.
With this victory, City now stands at 43 points from 20 games, trailing Liverpool by a mere two points. Meanwhile, Newcastle’s fourth consecutive defeat leaves them in 10th place in the Premier League standings.
In another Premier League encounter, Chelsea secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Fulham, maintaining their winning streak with a penalty by top scorer Cole Palmer. The Blues’ third consecutive league win came despite struggles in front of goal.
“Palmers’ spot kick in the dying moments of the first half… earned the Blues their third Premier League win in a row,” highlighted Reuters.
Despite criticism for missed chances in a recent League Cup match, Palmer proved pivotal for Chelsea. Fulham had opportunities to level the score, including a shot from Raul Jimenez, which forced a save from Djordje Petrovic.
“Chelsea captain Conor Gallagher smacked the post… but the final statistics showed the Blues had only three shots on target all game,” noted the report, emphasising Chelsea’s goal-scoring challenges.
The win elevated Chelsea to eighth place in the league table, surpassing Manchester United and Newcastle United. Fulham, on the other hand, suffered their fifth consecutive away league defeat, maintaining their position in 13th place.
Coach Marco Silva expressed frustration, claiming that Chelsea defender Malo Gusto should have been sent off for a foul on Willian in the first half. Looking ahead, Chelsea’s defensive lineup may find stability with the return of Ben Chilwell, providing a potential solution to their left-back concerns.
