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Premier League | Gameweek 24
Jan 29, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
MC

2-1

Rondon (66'), Ritchie (80' pen.)
FT(HT: 0-1)
Aguero (1')

Benitez hoping Newcastle can turn City upset into league leap to safety

:Headline: Benitez hoping Newcastle can turn City upset into league leap to safety: ID:348613: from db_amp
The Magpies are hoping to complete a deal for Miguel Almiron.

Rafael Benitez has challenged Newcastle to use their shock victory over champions Manchester City as a springboard for their latest bid for Premier League survival.

Matt Ritchie's coolly-taken 80th-minute penalty secured a first league win over City in 23 attempts at St James' Park on Tuesday evening, easing the Magpies five points clear of the drop zone in the process.

It came a little short of 12 months since a 1-0 home victory over Manchester United provided the catalyst for their escape last season.

Benitez, who is hoping for a transfer window breakthrough on Wednesday with Paraguay international Miguel Almiron scheduled to have a medical on Tyneside, is keeping his fingers crossed that they can repeat the feat.

He said: "I hope so. It's a good example that we can use in the future.

"For the players, they will feel that doing things this way, we can win against anyone because we have been close against the top sides, we have not conceded many goals and everyone has been talking about the goal difference.

"But in this case, it's not just the goal difference, it's three points and a lot of confidence for the future."

The outcome looked likely to be very different when Sergio Aguero fired the visitors ahead with just 25 seconds on the clock, but City failed to build on their early advantage and were eventually made to pay.

Salomon Rondon volleyed the home side level with 66 minutes gone and when Sean Longstaff was toppled inside the box by Fernandinho's clumsy challenge, a remarkable fightback was on.

Newcastle United's Fabian Schar (left) and Manchester City's Fernandinho battle for the ball (Richard Sellers/PA)

Matt Ritchie nervelessly dispatched the resulting 80th-minute penalty to raise the roof at St James' Park, where the discontent which has mounted in recent weeks could be dissipated further if the Almiron deal is completed.

City could barely believe what had transpired as they trudged from the pitch knowing that leaders Liverpool will go seven points clear at the top of they beat Leicester at Anfield on Wednesday evening.

However, manager Pep Guardiola was refusing to throw in the towel.

He said: "We are in January and there's a lot of time. But of course, when you are behind the leader, you don't have to drop points because you help them and of course, every game is one less.

"But we are in January, so we have a lot of titles and games still to play."

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1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Bournemouth104331312115
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
11Brentford94141818013
12Fulham93331212012
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133
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