Manchester City strolled to an eighth straight Premier League victory with a typically controlled win over a Newcastle outfit that offered little on Tyneside.
Having beaten Leeds 7-0 in midweek, City need just five minutes to dismantle another relegation-threatened side when Ciaran Clark’s error gifted Ruben Dias the opener.
Joao Cancelo then made it two with a stunning strike from distance, before Riyad Mahrez beat the offside trap to volley into the net after the break, and Raheem Sterling also converted late on.
Newcastle were denied what looked like a clear-cut first-half penalty when City goalkeeper Ederson tripped Ryan Fraser as the Toon man chased after Cancelo. Referee Martin Atkinson waved away the protests and i understands VAR felt there was no “clear and obvious error” which they could rectify.
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The hosts threw on Allan Saint-Maximin for the second half but struggled to threaten the defending champions. Callum Wilson’s strong heade, palmed over the crossbar by Ederson, was their sole shot on target.
The win maintains City’s grasp on top spot in the table heading into Christmas, while for Newcastle they must now prepare to host Manchester United next Monday.
Player ratings
- Martin Dubravka – 5
- Jacob Murphy – 6
- Ciaran Clark – 4
- Jamaal Lascelles – 6
- Isaac Hayden – 5
- Ryan Fraser – 6
- Joe Willock – 5
- Matt Ritchie – 6
- Miguel Almiron – 5
- Callum Wilson – 6
- Joelinton – 7
Subs:
- Allan Saint-Maximin – 5
- Sean Longstaff – 6
- Jeff Hendrick – 6
- Ederson – 6
- Oleksandr Zinchenko – 6
- Aymeric Laporte – 6
- Ruben Dias – 7
- Joao Cancelo – 9
- Kevin De Bruyne – 7
- Rodri – 7
- Bernardo Silva – 7
- Raheem Sterling – 7
- Gabriel Jesus – 7
- Riyad Mahrez – 8
Subs:
- Fernandinho – 6
- John Stones – 6
- Cole Palmer – 6
Analysis: Newcastle counting the seconds until transfer window
By Mark Douglas, i northern football correspondent
On afternoons like this, as the recent defiance of St James’ Park threatened to fade into a deep collective sigh at the state of a team looking increasingly destined for the Championship, it sometimes feels like the heady early days of the Saudi takeover were a mirage amid the December gloom.
This was a bracing reminder of the club’s underlying problems. If Newcastle’s new owners allowed themselves a moment to dream in the autumn, the word from the boardroom is that no-one is talking about fantasy football anymore.
Newcastle’s situation is dire and there is now a forensic focus on a transfer window which offers the only possible salvation for a club hampered in recent weeks by bad officiating, rotten luck and rank defending.
Never mind counting the days until January 1, they are counting the minutes and hours until they can cash in the Saudi dividend they inherited in autumn to build a better back four.
Manchester City are so good that January will probably proceed with minimal or no spending.
When you have built a machine that whirs as ominously as theirs, you can afford to proceed on several fronts in 2021 without an injection of talent or a recognised number nine.
They have too many players hitting their peak simultaneously for most of their opponents: Phil Foden and Jack Grealish were unused substitutes at St James’ Park.
Guardiola: We were lucky
Pep Guardiola has always been a perfectionist and even after a 4-0 win – coming off the back of the demolition of Leeds – has wasn’t happy with everything his side produced on Sunday afternoon.
“A good result, not a good performance,” the City boss told the BBC. “We were lucky but Newcastle did not defend well for the first goal and a brilliant action from Joao Cancelo for the second goal. The first half was one of the worst we have played this season and the second half was much better.
“We played better with the ball, gave players more touches but were losing balls in the first half. We were calm at half-time and spoke about what we should do.”
Indeed, perhaps the true gulf in class between the top and bottom of this division was exposed in that first half. City went into the break two up despite what Guardiola felt was a below-par performance. Imagine being in Eddie Howe’s shoes.
Meanwhile, Guardiola promised to switch his side up for City’s next clash against Leicester on Boxing Day – assuming, of course, that the game even takes place following the Foxes’ recent Covid-19 outbreak.
“I didn’t rotate today,” he said. “I decide the best team, we need a different base for the players and now we have seven days until the next game.
“Hopefully Leicester are getting better with a lot of Covid cases so I will take a decision on the team.”
Fraser penalty a ’stonewaller’
Magpies boss Eddie Howe was far from pleased that Fraser was denied even a courtesy VAR check following the controversial clash with goalkeeper Ederson in the first half.
“The Ryan Fraser incident was a baffling one and I’m unsure how it is not a penalty,” said Howe. “I am not too sure what happened with VAR and the referee, the goalkeeper wipes out Ryan and it is a stonewaller, a clear penalty.”
The defeat was Newcastle’s third on the bounce but Howe insists the mood in the camp remains high.
“To stand here and say I am pleased with the players, we got some things in the game right after three big defeats in a row but we have to look at the quality of the opposition,” he said.
“There was a good feeling about the team, a good structure and good moments in the match. We are heading in the right direction but a long way to go.”
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