In the previous round, Cancelo failed to play against Leeds United after accumulating yellow cards. However, in the oil derby with Newcastle, the Portuguese defender was able to start at right back. He lived up to his name and was once again one of the brightest stars on the pitch, contributing to the team's victory. Only five minutes into the match, Cancelo made an assist that even he didn't expect. Zinchenko sent a cross over the top of the pitch for Cancelo, and a mistake by the Newcastle defender and keeper allowed Dias to capitalize on the goal.
The first goal may have been the opponent's mistake mostly, but the second goal completely showed the technical strength of Cancelo. The Portuguese gained possession of the ball near the center circle, passed the Newcastle defenders one after another, and then cleverly got rid of his opponent again near the top of the penalty area, and after a slight adjustment, blasted a world wave, which the opponent's goalkeeper could only stare in disbelief. St. James' Park fell silent, and it can be said that Cancelo won the victory for City with his own strength, otherwise Newcastle's fierce attack in the first half posed a considerable threat to City.
The assist brought Cancelo's assists in the Premier League to four, more than he had in the previous two seasons in the Premier League combined. In total, Cancelo has dished out seven assists to teammates in all competitions this season, a career-high for him. Combined with the goals, Cancelo has been directly involved in a double in goals this season, becoming the third defender to reach this achievement after Reece James and Arnold. The last time a defender in a Guardiola-coached side was able to be directly involved in 10 or more goals in a single season was in the 2013/14 season, when Bayern defender Alaba did so.
With his outstanding performance in this game, Cancelo was elected as the official Premier League Player of the Match. As a matter of fact, Cancelo had played in La Liga and Serie A before, but his performance was mediocre. After arriving at Manchester City two years ago, he initially did not excel either. However, as Guardiola built his wing-backs into full-backs, Cancelo's attacking potential exploded. This season, whether at left or right back, Cancelo's passes and shots have always been a threat to City's attack. In Cancelo's body, we seem to see the shadow of De Bruyne in the previous seasons. It is because of Cancelo's excellent play that Manchester City has been able to go all the way, unstoppable in the league and the Champions League.
