At St. James' Park

Newcastle United 1 (Anita 31)

Manchester City 1 (Aguero 14)

Vurnon Anita's 31st-minute equaliser earned Newcastle United a point against Manchester City in a pulsating encounter at St. James' Park.

The Dutchman's third strike in a black and white shirt cancelled out Sergio Aguero's 100th Barclays Premier League goal in the first half, pegging back Manuel Pellegrini's Champions League semi-finalists.

And it took Rafa Benitez's side to within two points of top flight safety, with the Magpies boss and his team now set to face his old club Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.

Pellegrini's men were first to threaten in front of a crowd of over 46,000, with Jesus Navas scampering onto a pass down the right from Kevin De Bruyne. The Spanish flier, though, couldn't find leading scorer Aguero in the box and United hacked away the danger.

But after that early opening, the Magpies stirred into life. Andros Townsend, impressive in his goalscoring display in the 3-0 victory over Swansea City at the weekend, beat Aleksandar Kolarov and crossed for Papiss Cisse, whose powerful header just cleared Joe Hart's crossbar.

It took just 14 minutes, however, for Aguero to make his presence felt. After Townsend was adjudged to have brought down Kolarov on the left, the Serbian full back whipped in a fine cross from the resulting free kick which was perfect for Aguero. The Argentinian international rose to flash his header past Karl Darlow and into the net, dealing Benitez's side an early blow in the process.

The visitors could have made it two seven minutes later. Jamaal Lascelles, another of the Magpies' scorers in Saturday's win, misplaced a pass which was seized upon by De Bruyne. The Belgian advanced but, with Aguero making a run to the left of him, sent his drive wide of the target and into the Gallowgate End.

But Newcastle responded, and when Moussa Sissoko pounced on Kolarov's wayward pass, St. James' Park rose to its feet. The Frenchman collected the ball and skipped past the challenge of Vincent Kompany on halfway, couldn't find a finish when he went one-on-one, as Hart held his sidefooted effort.

Minutes later, they were back on level terms. Sissoko sent a searching crossfield ball towards Anita, just outisde the right-hand corner of the box. The 27-year-old shaped to cross, but instead cut inside onto his unfavoured left foot and drilled low and hard across Hart, who could only watch as the leveller flew in off the upright just after the half hour.

The hosts began with purpose after the break, with Townsend forcing a Kolarov foul before lofting in a free kick that drifted just over Ayoze Perez. Then, after Aguero had failed to pull the trigger after a De Bruyne cross, Sissoko charged after a loose ball, which required Hart to blast clear with the former Toulouse man fast approaching.

Following a quickly-taken free kick at the other end, Darlow was forced into his first meaningful save of the night when Navas fired in a shot, but the ex-Nottingham Forest stopper did well to turn his effort past the post.

After his influential cameo against the Swans three days previously, Aleksandar Mitrovic was introduced in place of Cisse ten minutes into the second period, and but for a City intervention, the frontman would have got his head on a Townsend delivery five minutes after his arrival as United pressed forward on the counter.

But back came City with an attack of their own. Navas picked up De Bruyne's pass and centred for Aguero, whose shot wasn't clean but was enough to force Darlow to parry before gathering at the second attempt.

It was Benitez's men that looked the more likely to snatch a winner, but with clear-cut cut chances at a premium - and City by now having sent on the pacy Raheem Sterling - their opponents retained a threat. Record signing De Bruyne stung Darlow's palms with a drive from distance and Kolarov blasted in a low cross seconds later, which Chancel Mbemba managed to scramble away.

Substitute Wilfried Bony tried his luck with a headed flick, which had Darlow stretching to touch it behind for a corner, and Kolarov swerved a long-ranger wide of the target, but it was a United replacement who had the best opportunity to snatch all three points.

Georginio Wijnaldum, on for Townsend, wriggled his way through, twisting and turning past the City backline, only to see the onrushing Hart smother his strike from close range. The Dutchman's follow-up, from a tight angle, found the sidenetting and Newcastle were forced to settle for a point.

Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Karl Darlow; Vurnon Anita, Chancel Mbemba, Jamaal Lascelles, Paul Dummett; Cheick Tiote, Jack Colback; Andros Townsend (Georginio Wijnaldum 80), Ayoze Perez (Rolando Aarons 90), Moussa Sissoko (c); Papiss Cisse (Aleksandar Mitrovic 55)

Subs not used: Freddie Woodman, Henri Saivet, Jonjo Shelvey, Siem de Jong

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Joe Hart; Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany (c), Eliaquim Mangala, Aleksandar Kolarov; Fernando, Yaya Toure (Fernandinho 72); Jesus Navas (Wilfried Bony 84), Kevin De Bruyne, Fabian Delph (Raheem Sterling 68); Sergio Aguero

Subs not used: Willy Caballero, Martin Demichelis, Nicolas Otamendi, Kelechi Iheanacho

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)

Bookings: Newcastle United - Vurnon Anita (43), Ayoze Perez (56), Moussa Sissoko (90); Manchester City - Vincent Kompany (67), Eliaquim Mangala (89)

Attendance: 46,424