Interesting to read these comments from BBC Sport, following Newcastle United’s 2-1 loss to Manchester City at the Etihad.
The comments from neutral people in particular tell…
It was very different to what Newcastle United fans had come to expect from BBC Sport’s ‘neutrals’.
BBC Sport comments from neutrals in the past have largely been a catalog of abuse directed at NUFC supporters.
Particularly stuff about the owners of Newcastle United and the media-inspired fuss that NUFC fans have become accustomed to when they are blamed for who now owns their club.
On this occasion, politics were completely absent, focusing instead on matters on the ground…
The BBC Sport readers comments of neutral players, some Manchester City fans, plus one or two Newcastle supporters who also contributed:
‘How refreshing to see two teams going for it. Man City on the phone, but no time wasted, as you all know who.’
‘(Arsenal fan) Haha, I’m sure I saw Man City kicking the ball away and going to the ground every five minutes…going for it?…Man City sat back for the whole second half and if Newcastle were better in the final third, Man City would have looked right at the point.’
‘(Spurs fan) Man City should have had a hat full tonight. I’m not sure what you were looking at.”
‘Newcastle have done well, well done.’
‘Arsenal’s title now, after Man City almost clung to a side playing their fourth away game in 12 days, without the luxury of signing two top players in January, and with almost every marginal decision going in their favour?’
‘Lots of cynical fouls that went unpunished as usual for Man City.’
‘They accuse Arsenal of ‘the dark arts’ and yet they are among the worst. It should have been 2-2 tonight. Pep’s usual response to a crisis: sign more players when no one else can compete, but hey, it’s ‘genius’.”
‘Man City once again shows Arsenal how champions hold their nerve. Fair play to Newcastle, a great game.’
‘I thought players on the same team had to wear the same strip? If you push someone offside in the penalty area, it is surely a foul or the goal should be allowed. And as for kicking the ball…?’
‘Can someone explain how a player can be pushed into an offside position by a defender in the penalty area and not allow a pin… He is expected to be beaten and not be cheated by var again.’
‘From a fantastic try from a Sunderland supporter from Newcastle, but Man City got the points and that’s what I was cheering for.’
‘Instead of complaining about referee decisions that are almost never made, let’s complain about the fact that we failed to pass to Gordon and Elanga on several occasions when they had been running absolutely free on goal.
Bruno would have been right about that.’
‘Why wasn’t the Silva challenge on Burn a second yellow card? No intention at all to play the ball’
‘Ref seemed to let go of a lot, but you want that. Nice battle between Burn and Haaland, the yellow card for Burn didn’t seem to change anything.’
‘Undoubtedly a deserved victory for Man City, who must now be title favourites.
But what an encouraging performance from Newcastle! I kept everyone on the edge of their seats until the end.’
‘Joelinton the most rude Brazilian ever’
“Brazil has always had a midfielder who was willing to put his foot between his feet and that is their job. All their best teams over the last forty years have had one.”
‘Newcastle played well and suffered two stupid defensive errors plus several bad refereeing moments. I’m not sure how Burn was meant to stay out of the way after being pushed into that position. I really miss Livramento at the back.’
“Great job guys after all the traveling this week.”
“All the traveling you would think would involve walking there. Groaning about how far they have traveled, you shake your head.”
‘Great game in front of the neutral, end to end, mistakes galore (Burn) and well refereed without the VAR stuff.
Well played both teams!’
‘From a neutral angle we all hate Man City, but we hate Arsenal even more!!’
“Newcastle United played well, especially after an 5,000 mile round trip to Azerbaijan a few days ago.
They have to have confidence in the coming games.’
‘No Champions League football for Newcastle next season. Unless they win it this year, which I highly doubt.”
‘These two teams must have enough of each other this season.
FA Cup still to come!
And Champions League?’
Manchester City 2 Newcastle 1 – Saturday February 21, 2026 8:00 PM
Match statistics
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Hall 22
Man’s City:
O’Reilly 14, 27
Possess was Newcastle 45% Manchester City 55%
Total shots were Newcastle 13 Man City 15
Shots on target were Newcastle 7 Man City 7
Corners were Newcastle 5 Man City 5
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 18 Man City 28
Newcastle team vs Man City:
Pope, Trippier, Thiaw, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Ramsey, Willock (Barnes 60), Elanga (Jacob Murphy 78), Gordon (Osula 78), Woltemade (Joelinton 60)
subtitles:
Ruddy, Ramsdale, Alex Murphy, Shahar, Neave
#BBC #Sport #neutrals #commentary #Newcastle #United #defeat #Manchester #City