Newcastle 1-1 Man City

&c

In a game where, for once, the performance was arguably as important as the result, Newcastle got a bit of both, with a revitalised pressing display culminating in a point against the alleged serial cheaters and inevitable Premier League champions.

In a week where rumours circulated that City had won their Associated Party Transactions legal case agains the Premier League, talk turned to what this could mean for Newcastle's spending power, which provides my segue into a brief discussion of our ownership.

I hate it.

I hate that any club can be owned by a nation state, used as a soft-power tool and spend their way to success.

"But clubs have been spending their way to success since the days of Jack Walker/"The Bank Of England" mackem team of the '50s/Genghis Khan/[insert your own example depending on your vintage]".

True, but without looking into the figures, I'll wager that the economic inequality between, say, Jack Walker's Blackburn and the rest of the league vs the entire wealth of a Gulf state and the rest of the league is measured in completely different degrees of magnitude.

As the economic divide grows greater in society, with trillionaires competing to see who can plunge their rocket-powered phalluses into Mars first, peasants be damned, it's inevitably reflected in the game.

"Well go and support Gateshead", say people who don't actually understand what football really means.

You might as well tell me to go and breathe cheese instead of air.

So what's the solution to all this? There isn't one, obviously.

The rich will inevitably get their way and get richer in the process.

If a super duper league is their will, it shall be done.

It's the culmination of David Dein's wet dream of an Americanised Premier division, just on oil-powered steroids.

And then there's the whole bollocks argument of trickle down- oh, hang on this is meant to be a match report isn't it? Aye we were mint.

Right back at it.

Gordon, looking fully committed up front and ready to put pen to paper on a well-deserved new deal.

Sandro starting.

No half-time subs required.

Haaland kept at bay all afternoon.

Eddie Howe whispering sweet nothings in Pep's ear after the match (did anybody else find that weird?).

Sometimes the best thing you can do in a world that's going to shit is just actually watch the football.