O'Reilly double helps City cut Arsenal's lead to two and pile on pressure ahead of derby
HECTIC END: Newcastle United goalkeeper Nick Pope and Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma battle for the ball during the Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester. Picture date: Saturday February 21, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Martin Rickett/PA Wire
It was tight and it was tense, but two goals from Nico O'Reilly secured a victory that will now test Arsenal's nerve in the fight for the title.
Pep Guardiola's side made it 17 Premier League wins on the bounce against Newcastle to move to within two points of the Gunners ahead of the North London derby.
O'Reilly, the 20-year-old Mancunian powerhouse who has arguably been Manchester City's most consistent performer this season, came to the fore when his team needed him most on a night that could prove pivotal.
Newcastle have not beaten City in the Premier League since Alan Shearer scored a winner for the Toon at Maine Road in September 2000. They have certainly never played better than this at the Etihad.
Eddie Howe's team may have made a 10,000-mile round trip to Azerbaijan in midweek to secure a 6-1 victory over Qarabag that all-but takes them into the last 16 of the Champions League. But they pushed the home side right to the limit.Â
If Mikel Arteta and his players were watching at their team hotel, it would have been excruciating. The deafening cheers of relief at the final whistle really did speak volumes.
This was the fourth meeting between the two clubs this season. They will face each other again next month, in the fifth round of the FA Cup at St James' Park.
Newcastle beat City 2-1 on Tyneside in November, but it was the Blues who prevailed in both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final, winning 5-1 on aggregate to book a Wembley date with Newcastle.
Omar Marmoush had scored five times in two previous games against Newcastle. He would have surely added to that tally after just 90 seconds had Malick Thiaw not cut out Rayan Ait-Nouri's low left-wing cross with the Egyptian homing in on a tap-in.
Howe had ordered his players to press the home side, leaving Dan Burn one-on-one with Erling Haaland. Burn's ploy of being aggressive with the Norwegian lasted nine minutes, when he was booked for hauling the striker down.
City went ahead in the 14th minute when Marmoush seized on a loose ball on the half-way line and shook off Kieran Trippier before laying a pass into O'Reilly. The youngster took a touch before lashing a left-footer into the bottom corner despite Magpies keeper Nick Pope getting a hand on the ball.
Newcastle responded with a powerful run from Anthony Gordon that saw him outpace Marc Guehi in a race for Nick Woltemade's pass before cutting inside to force a save from City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The visitors levelled in the 22nd minute when City failed to clear Sandro Tonali's corner and Lewis Hall's speculative drive took a decisive deflection off Ait-Nouri on its way past Donnarumma.
Parity lasted five minutes. Antione Semenyo freed Haaland to serve up a delicious far-post cross that was sent looping past Pope by the head of the leaping O'Reilly.
Newcastle continued to trouble City on the break. With the speed of Gordon through the middle and Anthony Elanga and Jacob Ramsey either side offering a genuine threat.
Ruben Dias was booked for checking Gordon when the England forward looked to test the defender's legs down the left flank. Dias appeared to tweak a muscle and was replaced by Abdukodir Khusanov at the break.
But City were also menacing when they were on the front foot. Marmoush sent a 25-yard shot flashing just wide and then sent another effort straight at Pope after another direct City raid led by Rodri just before the interval.
Guardiola's team have tended to fade in the second half of games and it was Newcastle who forced the pace on the restart. The City manager replaced Marmoush with Rayan Cherki just before the hour in a bid to recover some control.
Semenyo might have eased the tension when Cherki found him unmarked 18 yards out but he fired weakly at Pope.
When Haaland was given an ovation for making a headed clearance, it illustrated the stress inside the stadium.
Newcastle, for all their dominance, just couldn't find the key to unlock the home side. At the other end, Ait-Nouri stood on the ball when trying to decide whether to shoot or pass to Haaland.
Haaland missed a chance to wrap it up before Harvey Barnes tested Donnarumma one last time.
Donnarumma 7; Nunes 6, Dias 6 (Khusanov 46, 7) , Guehi 7, Ait-Nouri 6; Rodri 6; Semenyo 6 (Foden 87), Silva 6, O'Reilly 8; Haaland 6, Marmoush 6 (Cherki 58, 6).
Pope 6; Trippier 6, Thiaw 6, Burn 6, Hall 8; Ramsey 7, Tonali 7, Willock 6 (Barnes 60, 5); Elanga 6 (Murphy 78, 5) Woltemade 5 (Joelinton 60, 5), Gordon 8 (Osula 78, 5).
Thomas Bramall.
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