Man City vs Newcastle result, highlights & analysis: Sterling at the double as City go clear at the top.
ETIHAD STADIUM, MANCHESTER — Raheem Sterling scored a goal in each half as Manchester City romped to a 5-0 win over Newcastle to go three points clear of Liverpool at the Premier League summit with three games remaining.
All eyes were on how Pep Guardiola’s side would respond to their midweek ordeal at Real Madrid, where they crashed out of the Champions League despite leading by two goals on aggregate heading into the final minute of normal time.
Despite the boost of title rivals Liverpool drawing 1-1 with Tottenham on Saturday, there were some nervy moments for City, although they were settled by Aymeric Laporte capitalising on a Martin Dubravka error seven minutes before half-time —Sterling having found a 19th-minute breakthrough.
Rodri headed home a left-wing corner from man-of-the-match Kevin De Bruyne after the hour and goals by substitute Phil Foden and Sterling in the dying minutes gave City a four-goal advantage over Liverpool on goal difference.
MORE: Liverpool vs. Tottenham result: Advantage Man City in title race despite Diaz equaliser
Crosses from the right-wing were City’s undoing at the Santiago Bernabeu and they were again vulnerable in that area early on, with Newcastle striker Chris Wood tamely botching a header from Allan Saint-Maximin’s centre.
The opening goal came via the aerial route. Ilkay Gundogan chipped a ball to the on-rushing Joao Cancelo who, having blazed an earlier chance over, nodded across goal for Sterling to head in.
Wood had the ball in the net from a corner but was offside and there was no VAR reprieve for Dubravka, who spilt Ilkay Gundogan’s strike from De Bruyne’s set-piece and was not adjudged to have control of the ball from Ruben Dias’ follow-up as Laporte smuggled home.
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Rodri was on hand for a crisper corner conversion, darting to the near post to head in, although Dias’ half-time withdrawal through injury had done nothing for City’s defensive solidity.
Veteran midfielder Fernandinho was a makeshift replacement and did brilliantly to thwart Callum Wilson from Kieran Trippier’s cross after Laporte needlessly ceded possession.
Wilson and Trippier returning from injury as substitutes was probably the highlight for Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, who saw Ederson deny the former one-on-one.
City then gave their visitors a lesson in ruthlessness – first as Foden tucked in Oleksandr Zinchenko’s pass in the 90th minute. That came after Grealish tormented Trippier and the £100m man laid on Sterling to emphatically complete the rout.
Sterling hits Man City goals landmarks
Sterling did not make the starting XI for either leg against Real Madrid but left no doubt over his importance to this City side with an all-action performance — bookending the scoring and typically never giving the Newcastle defence a moment’s peace. The opener was Sterling’s 50th Premier League goal at the Etihad Stadium, making him the second player to that figure after Sergio Aguero. The same effort also saw him replace Aguero as City’s top Premier League goalscorer of the Guardiola era.
De Bruyne banishes Madrid misery
There will arguably have been no City player more disappointed over how things unfolded in midweek than De Bruyne. He was unable to impact matters after Madrid went ahead because he had already been substituted and could have few complaints after a below-par performance. He was back to his best against Newcastle, surging through the midfield repeatedly early on and looping one utterly improbable pass to Gabriel Jesus — one of an astounding six chances he created for teammates during the match.
Dias adds to Guardiola’s defensive woes
City’s manager will welcome the three-point cushion over Liverpool for several reasons, but it looked pretty handy as his team finished the game with a youth-team debutant and a 37-year-old midfielder as their centre-back pairing. CJ Egan-Riley enjoyed his maiden Premier League outing alongside Fernandinho, who replaced the injured Dias at half-time. City’s defence might not look too much different to that at Wolves on Wednesday after Guardiola confirmed at his post-match news conference that Dias (hamstring), John Stones (thigh) and Kyle Walker (ankle) are all out for the season.
Nathan Ake, who was apparently no more than a decorative presence on the bench on Sunday, is also struggling with an ankle problem and could target a return at West Ham next weekend. It adds up to another intriguing sub-plot in the final straight of the title race.
Man City vs. Newcastle final score
Man City vs. Newcastle live updates, highlights from Sunday’s Premier League clash
Fulltime: City did not look entirely over their Madrid ordeal at times and that final scoreline masked some nervy moments. But they finished like a train. Guardiola’s men are three points clear and four goals better off than Liverpool. Could that injury-time salvo prove crucial in the final analysis?
93rd minute: GOAL!!!!!!! Sterling!!!!!
Goal-difference padding, is it??? City stream forward again, Newcastle probably don’t deserve this. Grealish finds Sterling and he finishes emphatically.
90th minute: GOAL!!!!!!! Foden!!!!!
Grealish gets the better of Trippier and picks out Zinchenko, who unselfishly finds Foden for his 14th of the season.
88th minute: Some early work from Egan-Riley and he does okay as Guimaraes dances into the box after Saint-Maximin got to the right byline.
86th minute: That looked like it was going to be number four for City but Lascelles makes a superb last-ditch tackle, playing the ball against the England attacker to win a goal kick into the bargain. Laporte makes way and City youth teamer CJ Egan-Riley is on for a Premier League debut.
84th minute: Saint-Maximin really is a box office all-or-nothing performer. He’s been nearer the latter half of that equation today and yahoos his latest attempt on goal over the bar.
83rd minute: Excellent save from Ederson one-on-one to deny Wilson after a lovely give and go from the striker with fellow sub Jacob Murphy.
82nd minute: Cancelo – in entirely normal behaviour for a full-back – has his fourth shot of the afternoon blocked.
79th minute: Grealish and Foden looked to be in on the counter then, but the former under-hit his pass, meaning City reverted to a long spell of keep-ball. One of those spells that can be sapping for their opponents.
75th minute: De Bruyne has done lots of beautiful things today. That’s not one of them as his unceremoniously clumps into Saint-Maximin to earn a booking.
74th minute: Grealish, whose endeavours today perhaps deserve more, cuts inside to have a shot blocked.
73rd minute: Newcastle’s substitutes combine – wonderful Trippier cross and Fernandinho makes a heroic intervention to deny Wilson. He actually bailed out centre-back partner Laporte there, who gormlessly gave away possession.
70th minute: More normal service this time and Newcastle clear their lines. While everyone was being silly, Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier came on for Newcastle, ending long injury lay-offs. Krafth and Wood, who’ve had different sorts of difficult afternoons, made way.
69th minute: Elaborate nonsense from the resulting corner. Several false starts and Burn is belatedly booked for grappling with Laporte. Oh no, it’s cleared behind. We might be here all day!
67th minute: Dubravka was unconvincing when challenged by Sterling for a looping ball but that’s a superb save from the Newcastle goalkeeper to tip over Zinchenko’s rasping drive.
63rd minute: Three points look to be heading City’s way and the game within a game here is trying to get a significant goal-difference advantage over Liverpool. Rodri’s goal took City to +66 compared to the Reds’ +64. Foden is on for Jesus to assist that goals effort.
61st minute: GOAL!!!!! Rodri!!!!!
De Bruyne delivers an inviting corner to the near post and the big Spain international does the rest. City are going clear at the top.
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58th minute: Now it’s Saint-Maximin’s turn to have a fairly pointless shot from far out, dragging past Ederson’s near post. But Eddie Howe will be pleased to see his players trying to reassert themselves once more.
57th minute: Bit of Newcastle possession ends with Guimaraes walloping one way over from long range. His compatriot Joelinton goes down on the turf but appears to be fine. It’s a lovely Manchester afternoon. Perhaps he just fancied a nice sit on the grass.
54th minute: Now Grealish gives Krafth some trouble at left-back, but Grealish can’t get a shot off. The game is being played at a pace to please a City team 2-0 to the good and Newcastle need to shift that pretty sharpish.
53rd minute: De Bruyne gets down the left, he really is all over this game, but Newcastle are able to hack clear.
48th minute: Saint-Maximin gets his first look at the new-look City backline, but Fernandinho is there to tidy up.
47th minute: Sterling brings about some mayhem in the Newcastle box, bodies all over the place. His cross is deflected just beyond the far post with Dubravka rooted.
46th minute: Substitution for City and Ruben Dias makes way. The surprise is that veteran midfielder Fernandinho is on at centre-back instead of Nathan Ake – presumably to ensure City keep a right/left foot passing combination at the back.
Halftime: Newcastle get there after Grealish, Sterling and De Bruyne combine with no little swagger in the final move of the half. Fittingly, the ball ends up with Gundogan before the referee blows. The German playmaker has been exemplary, bringing calm to some early chaos. City are 45 minutes away from going three points clear at the summit. See you shortly!
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45th minute: Now Cancelo flashes across goal into that space where Sergio Aguero used to spend a lot of his time. Jesus unable to muscle in on the action this time. Newcastle, having made life a uncomfortable for City for the most part, look like they need half-time.
43rd minute: Newcastle probed forwards after going 2-0 down but City’s second goal seems to have taken the wind out of them in a way that the first didn’t.
38th minute: GOAL!!!!!! Laporte!!!!!
Most un-Guardiola goal ever? He doesn’t seem to mind. Gundogan wallops a shot from De Brunye’s corner that Dubravka can’t hold. Dias clobbers it at the Newcastle goalie before Laporte does better with the second loose ball.
37th minute: De Bruyne, in the left channel, scoops one over the defence to Sterling, who spins a cross in Jesus’ direction before City’s number nine is blocked off.
34th minute: City zip around some trademark passing triangles but there’s no one there to do the trademark tap-in finish from Zinchenko’s low cross.
33rd minute: What on earth is Gundogan doing marking Saint-Maximin on the counter?!?! Anyway, despite those desperate odds, he City midfielder gamely keeps up with the flying winger, who runs out of pitch and falls over.
32nd minute: Delicious De Bruyne ball – yeah, one of those ones – finds Jesus at the back post but Krafth does well to scramble behind.
30th minute: Guimaraes, who has been typically very good in possession for Newcastle, shows a more agricultural side to his game by carting through Grealish. A very long City attack ends with Gundogan thundering wide from range, at which point the Brazilian is disappointed to see referee Stuart Atwell remembering to book him.
28th minute: City are bang up for this, as you’d expect, but perhaps that’s contributing to them not being at their smooth best. Dias lumps a ball in Sterling’s general direction and Newcastle come away with it. Guardiola flaps his arms in a sort of Big Bird impression.
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25th minute: Cancelo and Sterling – so often together on the City left – are linking up very well down the right. Sterling plays in his teammate to draw a sharp save from Dubravka at his near post. The corner comes to nought.
23rd minute: GOOOAA…no! Wood is offside as he prods home form a corner but is offside. Nevertheless, that’s a let-off for City. Zinchenko did not need to give the corner away in the first place and they looked vulnerable again. Ederson then nearly made a complete hash of the resulting free-kick.
19th minute: GOAL!!!!!! Sterling!!!!!
Relief all around the Etihad Stadium! Gundogan orchestrates matters before flighting a fine ball over the Newcastle defence. Again Cancelo is afforded too much room but this time nods across goal for Sterling to head in.
15th minute: Plenty of people think City’s occasional weakness in front of goal will be solved by the arrival of a big-name striker, but that’s another glorious chance to fall to another member of the back four. Zinchenko crosses to unmarked fellow full-back Cancelo, who blazes wide. Guardiola trudges back to his dugout in a bit of a funk.
14th minute: Grealish overruns a dribble and then misses a backheel. Widespread grumbling. No good for anyone’s nerves.
11th minute Cancelo goes down under close attention from Saint-Maximin and is a touch fortunate to receive the free-kick. Newcastle are certainly taking every opportunity to see how fragile City’s defensive confidence might be post-Madrid.
10th minute: Now City should lead! Aymeric Laporte might have been one of the defenders culpable just then, but he finds himself unmarked from a left-wing corner, only to blaze over.
8th minute: OH! Huge chance for Newcastle! Saint-Maximin gets down the City right and his cross is cleared away from the waiting Joelinton. The visitors find joy down the same flank again but Wood appears to have no idea how much space and time he has, heading tamely at Ederson from close range.
6th minute: He was weirdly off-colour in midweek but De Bruyne is in Roy of the Rovers mode here. He tears through the middle with four Newcaste jerseys in pursuit. Again he finds Grealish, whose pass to the overlapping Zinchenko is under-hit and Dubravka claims the low cross.
5th minute: De Bruyne curls his effort harmlessly wide of the near post.
4th minute: De Bruyne gets chance to stretch his legs through midfield and plays in Grealish. The England man can’t get a shot away but possession is recycled and he wins a free-kick on the left corner of the box.
2nd minute: Nervous moments there for the hosts as Laporte mistakenly boots the ball at Gundogan, who then loses his footing to be disposessed on halfway. It’s the sort of counter-attacking situation you’ve seen Pep Guardiola sides punished from before but the danger is snuffed out.
1st minute: Sterling and Grealish line up on the right and left respectively for City, with Jesus through the middle. The Brazil forward immediately gives Dan Burn the hurry up. The champions looking to get out of the blocks quickly.
3 mins from kickoff: The teams are out. The bars – which seemed to be doing a roaring trade in nerve-settling refreshment about 10 minutes ago – have emptied and we’re good to go in front of a full house in east Manchester.
15 mins from kickoff: Having come agonisingly close to a couple of “repaid a chunk of his hefty price tag…” goals in midweek, it’s another big afternoon coming up fo this man.
20 mins from kickoff: Talking of title-race nerves, it could be a weird atmosphere here today. Sporting News made the journey over to the Etihad Stadium from Leeds, where a shared train line meant carriages packed with very merry Newcastle fans. It’s party time up in the north east, with relegation fears long gone and a bright future in prospect under Eddie Howe.
Even allowing for the boost of last night’s result, the mood inside the ground for the majority in sky blue feels pensive. This game is a team with everything to lose against a team with nothing to lose and that could very well inform how things unfold.
35 mins from kickoff: City are out and going through their warmups wearing shirts commemorating Sergio Aguero’s unforgettable title-clinching goal on this ground 10 years ago. It’s the anniversary this week but, after their Madrid travails, I reckon the City faithful would opt for something a bit less dramatic today.
55 mins from kickoff: Chris Wood leads the line for Newcastle, which means Joelinton probably dropping back into midfield for Eddie Howe’s side. Sean Longstaff starts in the engine room, with no Jonjo Shelvey in the matchday squad, while Jamaal Lascelles is back as captain in place of the injury Fabian Schar.
1hr from kickoff: Here’s the City XI. Sterling and Grealish do indeed come into refresh the forward line, but it’s Foden and Madrid goalscorer Mahrez who drop to the bench along with Bernardo Silva. That means Gundogan slotting into midfield, with Zinchenko replacing the injured Walker and Cancelo shuffling across to left-back.
1hr 20 mins from kickoff: Of course, the big question is what state Guardiola’s players will be in when they take to the field. As much as Liverpool’s slip-up has handed them huge onus in the fight for the Premier League, the dramatic and heartbreaking manner of Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Real Madrid might have taken a toll.
1hr 30 mins from kickoff: Hello and welcome to Sporting News’ live coverage of Manchester City’s Premier League home match against Newcastle. We’ve been saying this every Saturday and Sunday for what seems like forever now, but this really could be a pivotal day in the title race. Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham at Anfield on Saturday means a win for Pep Guardiola’s men will put them three points clear with three games to play. Team news is half an hour away.
Credits: Sporting News
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Man City vs Newcastle result, highlights & analysis: Sterling at the double as City go clear at the top.
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