Manchester City vs Newcastle United. Premier League.
Etihad Stadium.
Report as Manchester City move from ninth to fifth with simple win over Newcastle; Ilkay Gundogan gives City lead from Raheem Sterling centre before Ferran Torres' second after the break; Newcastle sit 12th, seven points above drop zone
Sunday 27 December 2020 07:11, UK
Manchester City breezed past a lethargic Newcastle as goals from Ilkay Gundogan and Ferran Torres gave them a 2-0 win at the Etihad Stadium.
City dominated the ball in the first half and took the lead through Ilkay Gundogan (14), converting from close range after Raheem Sterling had squared in the box.
And the hosts turned it up a notch in the second half, doubling their lead through Torres after both Miguel Almiron and Federico Fernandez's failed clearances (55).
Bernardo Silva hit the post and sub Sergio Aguero saw a big late chance superbly saved by Karl Darlow, but it ended 2-0, meaning a 13th clean sheet in all competitions this season for City, more than any other team in the top five European leagues.
The result moves City up from ninth to fifth, five points off the lead, while Newcastle are 12th, still with a cushion of seven points between them and the drop zone.
Newcastle left Callum Wilson on the bench and set up in a defensive style at the Etihad, and though City had 75 per cent of the ball in the first half, they only managed the one goal.
It came as Joao Cancelo found Sterling in-behind - Sterling had the better of Matt Ritchie on the right flank repeatedly in the first half - and after composing himself as Karl Darlow rushed out, the City man squared for Ilkay Gundogan to slot home from close range after peeling off the Newcastle defence.
Kevin De Bruyne forced Darlow into a good save from a cross-shot from the left flank, before Darlow denied the Belgian again at his feet after he was played through on goal by Ferran Torres.
Newcastle showed little ambition, often turning back after winning the ball in City's half, and with City only in second gear, they turned it up after the break.
John Stones' header square was just ahead of Torres when he should have gone for goal himself, but City duly got their second after two instances of sloppy Newcastle defending. First, Almiron's lazy clearance allowed the brilliant Cancelo to take over, and though his cross was intercepted by Fernandez, the ball fell on a silver platter to Torres to tuck into the bottom corner from eight yards.
City should have had a third, but Sterling couldn't get his feet right three years out from Cancelo's centre, before Bernardo Silva's stretched rebound hit the outside of the post.
Sergio Aguero was introduced late on and nearly got his first Premier League goal of the season, but Darlow denied him brilliantly with a last-gasp save as the Argentine looked certain to score from Cancelo's cross.
Newcastle were incredibly passive throughout - they attempted just 123 passes in the second half to City's 432 - while Joelinton had just two touches in the opposition box in his 70 minutes, as pressure grows on Steve Bruce.
But for City, capitalising on several teams above them dropping points means a Boxing Day job well done for Pep Guardiola, as attention turns to tricky trips to Everton and Chelsea in the Premier League.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola: "It was the best performance of the season [in terms of player positioning]. Our football has to be played in one rhythm.
"To do this everyone has to be in his position, do his job, and today was a big example. When a team plays 10 players behind it's not easy to attack them, but the guys did really well. I'm glad with the way we play."
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce: "All the fans are like we are, we have to accept where we are. It's pretty straightforward as that. My remit is to make sure Newcastle remain a Premier League outfit, and that's what I'll try to achieve. That's where we've been for the last two or three years.
"Of course for Newcastle, in many people's eyes that isn't enough, but that's where we are, but we have to accept it, we have to try and move it a little bit forward.
"We lacked a bit of quality in the final third, we gave the ball away for the second goal, but I couldn't fault their effort, application and attitude towards the game.
"We had a bad week, and some of the mass hysteria, in my opinion, was unjust, unfair, and a lot of it was not right in my opinion. I'm going to say that, and that's my opinion on it."
Man City now go to Everton on Monday at 8pm, before going to Chelsea on January 3, live on Sky Sports Premier League at 4.30pm.
Newcastle now host champions Liverpool on Wednesday at 8pm, before hosting Leicester on January 3, live on Sky Sports Premier League at 2.15pm.
