Mancity cruise an emphatic 5-0 win at Etihad

Sergio Aguero scored from the spot, before Samir Nasri and Edin
Dzeko put the hosts out of sight in the first half, and David Silva
then scored two in two minutes after the break to seal a swaggering
victory for Manuel Pellegrini’s men.

Wilfried Bony came on for his debut as City withdrew key players
with Tuesday’s clash with Barcelona in mind, and the hosts
completed an emphatic win to move back within five points of
Chelsea, after the Blues were held at home by Burnley earlier in the
day.
Newcastle - ensconced in mid-table - had gone three games unbeaten
but have now suffered 11 Premier League defeats to City in a row.
The game started in the worst possible way for Carver’s men, as
Vurnon Anita’s loose touch allowed Dzeko to come in and steal the
ball before he was then brought down by the Newcastle midfielder,
and the referee pointed to the spot inside 30 seconds.
Aguero stepped up and coolly sent the ball low to Krul’s left with the
goalkeeper rooted to the spot, and City never looked back.
The visitors had plenty of possession but couldn’t make an impact at
the other end, and they were soon 2-0 down as Dzeko was again
involved, racing down the left before his deflected cross found Nasri,
and the Frenchman calmly worked himself some space before firing
into the roof of the net to double City’s lead after just 12 minutes.
Things went from bad to worse for Carver’s men – for whom the 2-0
Capital One Cup win here in October must have seemed a distant
memory – as nine minutes later it was 3-0. Silva floated a stunning
ball over the top and Dzeko brought it down superbly before firing
past Krul.

Quick double
City started the second half as well as they did the first, and it was
4-0 six minutes after the break, Silva receiving it off Nasri and
curling it into the far corner.
The Spaniard then grabbed his second of the afternoon just two
minutes later, as Aguero chested down Toure’s lofted pass and Silva
latched on to it, firing a low first-time shot into the corner from the
edge of the box.
With their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, Pellegrini
brought off some of his key figures, and Bony was one of the men
introduced, making his City debut in a 30-minute cameo.
The Ivory Coast international had a glorious chance to net on his
first appearance for the club as Krul miscued a clearance and Toure
played it straight back into the striker’s path, only for Bony to see
the Newcastle goalkeeper turn his low shot over the bar.
It had no bearing on the result, of course, with City sealing a
confidence-boosting victory to move back within five points of
Chelsea at the top of the Premier League.