6 min: … Barnes heads clear under no pressure, Savinho having curled to the near post.
5 min: Well that was a bright start by both teams. It all augurs well. And here’s Savinho, his presence down the City right forcing Barnes into the concession of a corner, from which …
3 min: City respond through Reijnders, who enters the box down the right and whistles a low drive wide right. He’s then clattered by the late-arriving Thiaw, and City want a penalty for rough play, but the referee’s not interested and VAR doesn’t intervene.
2 min: … and so does the two-minute mark, but not before Newcastle win the first corner of the game down the right. The corner ends up with Tonali, just to the left of the D. His curler evades everyone in the middle. Goal kick.
1 min: The kick-off’s sent long, and Newcastle win a throw deep in City territory on the left. Hall launches long. The ball nearly drops first to Woltemade, then Elanga, but neither can get an effort on target and turn themselves into the Jackie Milburn de nos jours. The 45-second mark ticks over without the scoreboard being troubled.
