ON a night when Sergio Aguero joined the Premier League’s 100 club, Newcastle United were indebted to a more unlikely goalscorer whose strike could prove crucial in the fight to avoid a drop into the Championship.

After 53 games of waiting the Magpies’ Dutch midfielder Vurnon Anita, operating as a full-back, delivered his own piece of magic to score for only the second time in the league since joining the club nearly four years ago.

It was the sort of finish Aguero, who had headed Manchester City controversially ahead from an offside position shortly before the quarter of an hour mark, would be proud to include in his own century of Premier League goals.

Anita’s brilliant finish 17 minutes later earned Newcastle a fourth point inside as many days to close the gap to Norwich City – and safety – to two points with four matches remaining.

Now Rafael Benitez, barking orders from his technical area throughout an enthralling night on Tyneside, will be looking for the victory at his former club Liverpool on Saturday that lifts Newcastle out of the bottom three.

And on the evidence of this performance he – like his dressing room – should be full of confidence that it can be achieved, having dealt successfully with the threat posed by a Manchester City team which could be crowned European champions next month.

Moussa Sissoko led by example in the middle in his new role as captain, while Jamaal Lascelles and Chancel Mbemba’s performances at the heart of the defence epitomised a newfound determination running through the side.

Crucially Newcastle remain in the bottom three, but the cheers at the final whistle in front of the lowest Premier League crowd this season at St James’ Park has kept alive hopes of top-flight football next season at this famous venue.

Manchester City might have struggled to stay with Leicester City in the race for the Premier League title, but nobody can argue with the quality they have running through their squad.

Manuel Pellegrini, whose side are preparing for a Champions League semi-final double header with Real Madrid, had overseen three wins in a row for the first time since the start of the campaign and the way they swept Chelsea aside over the weekend highlighted their threat.

Newcastle fans needed no reminding either, having lost 12 straight games to them before this encounter and they had scored a staggering 27 in the seven most recent meetings.

But that did not stop Benitez from being bold enough to wield the axe again. Having surprisingly left out January buy Jonjo Shelvey on Saturday against Swansea, Georginio Wijnaldum joined him on the bench this time.

Wijnaldum, replaced by Ayoze Perez, has struggled to find his early season form and the £14m summer recruit’s presence among the substitutes meant Benitez had named £50m worth of spending on the bench.

Perez looked lively in the early moments, sending over a cross to the back post that had to be dealt with by Aleksandar Kolarov or Andros Townsend would have had a free header to turn on goal.

Townsend had already sent a delivery over himself before that for Papiss Cisse, preferred to Aleksandar Mitrovic again, and the striker’s header from 12 yards was directed a yard over the bar.

Within ten minutes Manchester City had got the break they wanted, even if it meant Newcastle had to suffer a cruel blow.

Despite Aguero clearly standing beyond the black and white defence as Kolarov’s free-kick from the left was whipped in, the Argentine was outrageously given the go-ahead from assistant referee Dave Bryan to glance a fine header inside Karl Darlow’s far post.

After that Newcastle seemed undeterred and were more than willing to drive forward, although often the final ball in the final third let them down.

At that point Manchester City, on the other hand, had looked mildly more threatening. Kevin de Bruyne wasted their best other chance of the half when he curled wide when it looked more sensible to play Aguero in.

But Newcastle, buoyed by a Sissoko charge beyond Vincent Kompany which ended with the midfielder curling into the arms of Joe Hart, found extra impetus and that led to the Geordie fans in the Gallowgate and Leazes End finding extra voice too.

The quality of the equaliser in the 31st minute stunned everyone, particularly the source. When Sissoko had burst down the left, he cut inside and floated a crossfield pass into the path of the onrushing full-back Anita, who looked certain to cross.

But the little Dutchman, who had only scored two previous times for the club since his move from Ajax in August 2012, followed up an excellent first touch by cutting back and curling a fantastic left-foot shot in off the far post.

Initially after the restart Manchester City stepped things up a notch once Hart had been alert to clear a back pass which threatened to drop short and invitingly for Sissoko to gain a chance.

But Newcastle defended strongly. Lascelles and Mbemba were excellent and made a number of telling blocks in their own box and on the rare occasions they were beaten, Darlow wasn’t as he got down low to deny Jesus Navas and then Aguero.

After the introduction of Mitrovic, Newcastle’s fans and players found an extra gear again. The Serbian almost grabbed a goal too, when he rose at the back post and headed Townsend’s run and cross against a blue shirt for a corner.

Manchester City struggled to find a way inside the home team’s half after that with Newcastle, driven on by the brilliant Sissoko and determined Cheik Tiote, sensing a surprise victory could be on the cards.

There were some nervy moments at both ends after that, but the Gallowgate thought Wijnaldum was going to win it when he turned his way past the City defence only to be thwarted from close range by Hart.

A point, though, against Manchester City would have been accepted beforehand by Benitez and Co and the cheers at the final whistle suggested the supporters were quite happy too.