Bernardo Silva wheeled away and the game was gone. Rather forlornly, one member of Newcastle United’s backroom staff leaned back to another. ‘That’s the difference,’ he said.
At 1-0 they had just missed another big chance, failing to take advantage of superiority. Manchester City had been ruffled, Ederson booting a goal kick out of play to consternation in the stands. Ruben Dias and Pep Guardiola both rallied the crowd.
And then City immediately went down the other end and scored.
‘I think it is about both boxes,’ said Dan Burn when asked how Newcastle bridge the gap between themselves and the best.