Pep Guardiola says City were not clinical in Newcastle loss

Manchester City missed the chance to go second in the Premier League and close the gap with league leaders Arsenal, but they fell to a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Newcastle.

Harvey Barnes opened the scoring for the hosts in the 63rd minute after the Englishman drilled in a low shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma from 20 yards out.

Five minutes later, Ruben Dias drew the visitors level with a low shot in a congested box following a corner.

Barnes doubled his tally, giving the Magpies the lead again after Bruno Guimaraes’ header rebounded off the bar and into the path of the Englishman to volley home. VAR intervened and checked for a possible offside, but the goal stood.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he said, “Tight game. Chances. Entertaining game. At the end they scored two goals and we scored one. (Our performance) was really good in general. We had chances. In the second half we had more chances, but unfortunately today we could not finish.”

What was the message at half-time? “It was good. Keep going. I know that the intensity and high pressing are really good, and unfortunately we could not; in the second half when we had chances, they won duels. They provoked this kind of game, and it was difficult.”

On the VAR decisions: “I didn’t see it. I didn’t see it.

On Donnarumma’s complaints: “You see him complain, and that is because something wrong happened. It happened the same at Bournemouth.

On the second half: “The momentum. We had the momentum. We scored quickly after they scored, and then they scored again from a corner.”

What did you say to Bruno Guimarães at full-time? “I said how good he is (but that conversation) is for private situations. Everything is fine.”

The Citizens are down to third on the Premier League standings, with Chelsea leapfrogging them into second, and play host to Leeds United on Saturday in their next PL game.