Newcastle and Manchester City played out a ridiculous 3-3 draw at St. James' Park on Sunday afternoon in an early contender for Premier League match of the season that also featured candidates for the year's best free kick (Kieran Trippier) and most unbelievable assist (Kevin De Bruyne).
Bernardo Silva picked out İlkay Gündoğan for City's opener in the fifth-minute, but Newcastle equalized through Miguel Almirón in the 28th and went ahead before halftime thanks to Callum Wilson.
In the 54th minute, Trippier put Newcastle ahead 3-1 with a right-footed bomb that left Ederson clawing at thin air.
A PERFECT free kick from Kieran Trippier gives Newcastle a 3-1 lead over the defending champions! #NUFC
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) August 21, 2022
But Erling Haaland scored from close range to pull one back for City on the hour mark, and in the 64th minute, De Bruyne found Bernardo for the equalizer. How the Belgian managed to spot the Portuguese will remain one of life's great mysteries, and he pulled the pass off with an audacious nutmeg of Joe Willock.
You know the quality of the pass is unbelievable when everyone runs to celebrate with the provider instead of the goalscorer, and that's exactly what happened.
That pass from De Bruyne.
Manchester City score two goals in 3:30 to tie the match at 3-3!
: @USA_Network & @TelemundoSports #MyPLMorning | #NEWMCI pic.twitter.com/F6a8irbF6r— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) August 21, 2022
"They all flock to Kevin De Bruyne." "An assist from the heavens." "The genius assists the magician."
3-3 was a fair result given the incredible amount of entertainment provided by both teams. It's City's first dropped points of the campaign and Pep Guardiola's side sits in second place, two points behind Arsenal. Newcastle is in sixth with one win and two draws.