Oscar Bobb’s Manchester City welcomed a chance to leapfrog to the second place of the English Premier League table after Aston Villa were forced to a goalless draw by Everton at Goodison Park, and the Cityzens surely have made full use of the opportunity, winning their Matchday 20 clash against Newcastle United at the latter’s home of St. James’ Park with Oscar Bobb’s stoppage-time winning goal. The 3-2 victory gave Manchester City 43 points, trailing league leaders Liverpool by only a couple of points with 18 games remaining in the 2023/2024 English top-flight football season.
Oscar Bobb’s First Goal for City Cannot Come at a Better Time Than a Late Winner
Manchester City took the first lead within the first half an hour of the game, thanks to a cheeky backheel goal by Portuguese midfield maestro Bernardo Silva, who gave his midas touch off England’s right-back Kyle Walker’s cross from the right flank. The Newcastle United player wanted the goal to be disallowed due to events happened prior to Silva’s effort, but the referee made the opener stand.
Angered by City’s opening goal, the Magpies quickly levelled things up and got their own lead with goals in quick succession in the 35th and 37th minutes respectively. A counterattack from Newcastle United saw Bruno Guimarães unleash Alexander Isak with an inch-perfect long ball, and the Swedish striker coolly beat Walker and curled in the equaliser for the home side. Only seconds after the game was restored to stalemate, Dan Burn gave Anthony Gordon another great pass, allowing the young England winger to travel into the penalty box, followed by another superb effort into the similar spot that Isak fired his shot in.
The three-time defending champions City had to dig deep to find themselves back into the game, and it was their fit-again captain from Belgium and substitute Kevin De Bruyne who made things all square again in the 74th minute. Both teams were dying to find the winner in the remainder of the match, but the evening belonged to Manchester City, who won the game through 20-year-old Norwegian Oscar Bobb. The winger Oscar Bobb, who came onto the game as an 82nd-minute replacement for Jérémy Doku, had his skipper delivered a sublime long ball into the dangerous zone, followed by his immense composure that saw him slotting home the winner.
Quick Link: Kevin De Bruyne Returns From His Horrific Injury to Bag an Assist in City’s 5-0 FA Cup Win
🏴 | Newcastle United 2–3 Manchester City
• xG: 1.23 – 2.84
• Shots (on target): 12 (5) – 27 (11)
• Big chances: 1 – 1
• Possession: 27% – 73%
• Touches in opp. box: 24 – 67Once Kevin De Bruyne came off the bench, the hosts stood no chance, as he scored and assisted Oscar… pic.twitter.com/QsbqO7YnjJ
— Sofascore (@SofascoreINT) January 13, 2024
Pep Delighted with Oscar Bobb Winning It for the Cityzens
Guardiola was full of praises on Oscar Bobb’s outing: “We have another player for many, many years – if he decides to stay. Maybe he decides for now he is happy with those minutes. Cole Palmer was happy with those minutes, but after two or three years, they want more and it’s natural, it’s completely understandable. Maybe I don’t give them those minutes and they decide to go there. If he decides to stay, we have a player for many, many, many years.”
The Spanish gaffer also added: “Txiki (Director of football of Manchester City) at the end of the season, he said to me he that Oscar Bobb in the under-23s was the best player by far. Then I said, okay, go to Japan, start to train with us and immediately Oscar got something that is the most important thing, relying on his mates. It’s more important than relying on the manager. When the mates can say, ‘Okay, this player can play with us’, that is for the best success, and it was immediate.”
Guardiola thinks that Oscar Bobb will be vital in City’s hopes of winning their fourth consecutive English Premier League title. “He can play in five positions – striker, right-winger, left, in pockets – he is so dynamic, the work ethic is unbelievable. He doesn’t feel much the pressure. An important part of the season is November, December, a lot of games. Important players were not there and Oscar helped us, and that is great, it’s really, really great,” concluded the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager.
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