Newcastle’s record in this competition under Eddie Howe is a formidable one, and the reigning champions flexed their muscles inside the opening five minutes.
A sweeping move ended with Jacob Murphy finding the unmarked Yoane Wissa inside the area, but his wayward effort drifted harmlessly over the bar when he ought to have at least hit the target. Besides that early attempt, though, the first half was largely a non-event, with more yellow cards than shots at goal.
While the opening period was lacking in goalmouth excitement, the second was certainly far more entertaining in its infancy.
Newcastle once again started on the front foot as Wissa’s looping header needed scooping off the line by James Trafford, just moments before Bruno Guimaraes cannoned an effort against the post.
Nevertheless, Howe’s men were taught a harsh lesson of how crucial it is to take chances when they come against City, whose first shot on target of the encounter saw them take the lead. Jeremy Doku did the legwork down the left, and his delivery was helped on its way inside the area by Bernardo Silva, allowing new signing Antoine Semenyo to turn home his second goal in as many games at the far post.
He thought he’d doubled his and his team’s tally on the night just moments later when he flicked Tijjani Reijnders’ corner into the back of the net, but after a lengthy VAR check lasting almost five minutes, Haaland was adjudged to have been in an offside position when Semenyo turned home.
A raft of substitutes saw the game stagnate somewhat as the game approached its climax, which suited City, and they were even able to add a second goal in stoppage time through Rayan Cherki to ensure they took a two-goal advantage back to the Etihad Stadium for the second leg.
Ultimately, Newcastle offered precious little in an attacking sense after falling behind, with a Sandro Tonali snapshot that flashed wide of the post as close as they went to finding a route back into the game, leaving them with plenty of work to do in February’s return leg.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City)
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