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Howe had tried numerous approaches.

Previously, Howe had sent out teams that applied intense pressure against Manchester City. Other formations saw his team sitting back defensively. Different systems were tested, but none yielded victory.

Howe was barely exaggerating when he said "we've tried everything" ahead of the weekend fixture.

However, he uncovered an effective approach.

After suffering a disappointing defeat at Brentford prior to the international break, Newcastle required a response, Howe and his coaching staff developed a strategy to finally overcome Manchester City in the Premier League.

The strategy paid dividends with a 2-1 win in front of a passionate home crowd giving Howe his maiden win over Guardiola's Manchester City in league competition.

"My records show numerous failed strategies against City, making clear what doesn't work," Howe stated. "The list of effective methods is brief, but we continuously learn and refine our approach. This was our process."

'Gradual improvements preferred'

The groundwork began after Newcastle's recent 3-1 loss at Brentford.

Howe dedicated countless hours analyzing match footage, reviewing training sessions and seeking solutions to what has been an inconsistent campaign.

Although working with a reduced training group, Newcastle focused on rediscovering "their energy and athleticism" during the international break.

Some significant tactical changes were introduced against Manchester City.

Bruno Guimaraes was deployed centrally in midfield, a role previously held by Sandro Tonali, with returning defenders Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento making their first joint start since autumn and creating a significant difference.

Fabian Schar also made his first top-flight start in two months, replacing centre-back Sven Botman.

However, rather than implementing radical changes, Howe maintained his preferred 4-3-3 system with two of the three lineup changes being necessitated by injuries to Kieran Trippier and Anthony Gordon.

The majority of players who featured at Brentford and, indeed, in the damaging defeat at West Ham, were given opportunities to redeem themselves.

"I don't agree with completely overhauling systems," Howe emphasized. "Unless the situation becomes desperate, which it hasn't, and that's not my managerial philosophy.

"I believe I have a clear understanding of our strongest players and I want to provide them every opportunity to demonstrate their qualities by supporting them and facilitating their growth."

Barnes Delivers When It Matters

Nevertheless, adjustments were clearly necessary.

Prior to this game, only Wolves and Leeds United had netted fewer Premier League goals than Newcastle.

High-profile acquisition Nick Woltemade had looked disconnected, receiving inadequate support, especially on the road.

While Woltemade was on international duty with Germany, Newcastle practiced varied attacking patterns around their striker such as Barnes and Jacob Murphy, to maximize his effectiveness upon return.

Newcastle certainly created opportunities for Woltemade on Saturday, who was denied on three occasions by Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

But whereas Newcastle were once overly dependent on Woltemade, other players have begun to contribute significantly.

Particularly Barnes.

The attacker squandered important chances in the opening period - including missing an empty net - and confessed he wasn't "the fan favorite" during the break.

Yet Barnes didn't just score the opener with a quality finish from range in the second period, he netted the decider shortly after City drew level via Ruben Dias.

Newcastle previously led against Arsenal, Brentford and West Ham only to ultimately lose.

However, they maintained composure when City drew level and during eight additional minutes.

This was an evening when Newcastle won more tackles and aerial duels, and made more blocks than their opponents.

Although Manchester City controlled possession, which naturally affects the statistics, Newcastle stood firm and made nearly twice as many clearances (36) and restricted the visitors to just four shots on target.

That defensive performance impressed former Newcastle defender Jonathan Woodgate.

"Defensively they were outstanding, making it extremely challenging for City to exploit gaps in midfield," he stated in his broadcast analysis. "In the second period I judged them the dominant team, frequently exposing City in transition and finishing with two excellent Barnes strikes. What an enthralling contest."

St James' Stronghold

However, should this victory at a illuminated St James' Park be considered completely unexpected?

Just Manchester City (13) have secured more home Premier League victories than Newcastle (11) this year.

Since the beginning of last season, Newcastle have won eight, drawn two and lost just two of their home fixtures against Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham across all competitions.

Nonetheless, on their travels, Newcastle haven't secured a league victory since spring.

This accounts for their position just one point clear of the bottom three prior to Saturday's important win.

"As much as I'd prefer to claim the crowd shouldn't influence on-field performance, it transforms everything," Howe admitted. "We need to identify methods to generate momentum in away matches without fan assistance.

"This is our challenge to address, whether via tactical modifications, roster decisions. Regardless of the approach, we need to commit to finding remedies."