For anyone short of time, we'll summarise this game by reeling off our "conditions" list from Newcastle's ten successive Etihad defeats since the League Cup success in October 2014:

Normal service resumed (0-5), abused (1-6), unrelenting (1-3), inevitable (1-2), pathetic (0-5), stagnant (0-2), uncompetitive (0-5), perpetual (0-2), compliant (0-1). 

Lost (0-2) was added to that, but uninteresting (0-2) or outclassed (0-2) would have sufficed.

Get the picture?

Despite our foul-mouthed response when the draw was made, by the time matchday arrived we'd summoned up delusions of mediocrity and competence; albeit limited to improving on previous non-performances and ending our goal drought before bowing to the inevitable exit.

Having beaten Pep's side once already this season and lost the other two meetings by just one goal, that "what if" notion persisted, despite all logic pointing to the contrary. That hunch was furthered by news of an enforced goalkeeping change to the one who faced us in September's League Cup (Ederson) and the absence of January's Premier League matchwinner (Kevin de Bruyne).

As it turned though, Joe Corrigan could probably have donned the gloves without incident and another all-too-familiar thorn in our side had his usual impact; Bernado Silva continuing to be a goal-laden successor to Sergio Aguero.

Missing from the starting line-up was foot injury victim Tino Livramento and with Kieran Trippier still out, a five man back line included Jamaal Lascelles with Dan Burn and Jacob Murphy on the flanks.  

After a comfortable opening period, a pair of unfortunate deflections decided the tie and gave Silva another brace against us, although deflations would have perhaps been a more accurate description, given the optimism that almost visibly drained out of a punctured travelling support.

0-2 down and they'd barely looked at our goal never mind try to get into it. A long night beckoned.  

Had Alexander Isak not then hit his shot straight at the goalkeeper in front of the away contingent the mood could have been lifted considerably, but that and his mis-control in first half added time after Joe Willock took advantage of Haaland's midfield dawdling made for a sombre interval.

Although unable to stop the two deflected efforts, Martin Dubravka kept the score down and a quadruple substitution injected some life into the visitors, as Jeremy Doku and Erling Haaland both spurned chances at the other end.

Within five minutes of his arrival, Miggy Almiron then broke forward and found Isak - only for his poor first touch to waste the opportunity to shoot. Behind the Paraguayan, Lewis Hall meanwhile made a decent enough impression on a rare outing. His day will surely come.

And that really was that; defiance from the away end, compliance from the away side and a steady stream of Citizens abandoning their places and heading off into a dirty Manchester night. No goals here in ten hours, ten defeats in a row - and like the other nine, this was never a contest.

The Magpies return to action on Saturday week when hosting West Ham; their 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday putting them four points ahead of ourselves, but having played a game more. 

This defeat statistically ended our last hope of success in 2024, although European qualification still remains a possibility with ten Premier League games left to play - a quarter of the season.  

A defeat of acceptable proportions before an international break lessens the speculation over Howe's position and gives a opportunity for some sort of reset ahead of the last lap, when players are back in body not just name.

The manager's future may still depend on how high we finish, although it's arguable whether snagging a place in a lesser European competition is actually useful in the medium term. It certainly won't attract or retain talented players, but could hamper our summer squad replenishment efforts.

Given the turbulence of this season though, Saturday's Wembley clash of Bruno's Brazil and England's Anthony Gordon may well end with them sharing an ambulance to Central Middlesex Hospital...   

Biffa