Manchester City Beat Newcastle To Stay Three Point Clear At The Top

Pep Guardiola on his part became more upbeat as the game progressed, even demanding a standing ovation for Gabriel Jesus when he was substituted, a request that was duly granted.

Manchester City bounced back from their Champions League semi-final defeat at Real Madrid to defeat Newcastle United and take a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

The reigning champions responded to Liverpool’s draw with Tottenham Hotspur with an impressive performance that not only strengthened their position at the top of the Premier League but also significantly improved their goal difference.

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Newcastle’s Chris Wood squandered a glorious early chance to add to City’s nerves, and his side paid the price when Raheem Sterling headed Pep Guardiola’s team in front after 19 minutes.

After Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka fumbled Ilkay Gundogan’s volley, Aymeric Laporte added a second before halftime, and Rodri sealed the win with a near-post header from Kevin de Bruyne’s corner just after the hour mark.

With Newcastle deflated and outclassed, City increased their goal difference even further with a late strike from substitute Phil Foden, who turned in Oleksandr Zinchenko’s touch, before Sterling completed the rout with a close-range finish in added time.

Man City faced numerous pre-match questions about their character and how they would react to losing their place in the Champions League final, which they held in their hands until Real Madrid’s incredible late comeback at the Bernabeu.

The manner of this victory, as well as its broader significance, provided the ideal response.

There were a few jitters around Etihad Stadium at the start, and Newcastle striker Wood could have added to them if he hadn’t delivered a sloppy finish from Allan Saint-cross Maximin’s in the first half.

He not only sent a tame header straight at Ederson, but he also arguably denied Joelinton an even better chance as the Brazilian lurked behind him.

It was a performance and result designed to lift their spirits, and it puts City in pole position to retain their title, as they lead by three points with three games remaining – and this handsome victory moves them from one point behind to four ahead of Liverpool in goal difference.

The final stages were a formality, with City in complete control, the only cloud on their day being the half-time substitution of key defender Ruben Dias. However, the addition of those two late goals provides City with a potentially critical cushion if they falter in any of their remaining games.

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Pep Guardiola on his part became more upbeat as the game progressed, even demanding a standing ovation for Gabriel Jesus when he was substituted, a request that was duly granted.

Manchester City control their own destiny, with away games against Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United coming before a final-day home game against Aston Villa.

Newcastle are a club fueled by high finance and massive ambition following their Saudi Arabian takeover, but this was yet another eye-opening lesson in the magnitude of the gap between where they are and where they want to be.

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