What happened...
Manchester City made it 18 matches unbeaten in this season’s U18 Premier League with a 4-0 victory over Newcastle United at the City Football Academy.
A brace from Lorenzo Gonzalez and goals from Phil Foden and Matt Smith in the first half effectively ended the match as a clash.
After an early scare which required Aro Muric’s quick movement off his line, City settled into a familiar passing rhythm.
Ian Carlo Poveda and Phil Foden were both denied, by post and goalkeeper respectively, after long, mazy runs through the visitors’ defence.
The opener came in the 20th minute as Phil Foden poked Lorenzo Gonzalez through on goal and the Swiss striker kept his cool in the one-on-one.
View highlights from the Youth Cup thrashing of Southampton below...
It was two just moments later as Newcastle made a number of half-clearances in their own area before Phil Foden fired past them all.
Smith added City’s third on the next attack, creating space for himself on the edge of the box before curling home.
The fourth came just before half-time as Lorenzo Gonzalez drove at the defence, cut on to his left and squeezed his effort inside the near post.
With much of the hard work done and only 40 hours on the clock since the thrashing of Southampton in the FA Youth Cup, City used the second half to make changes including the introduction of fit-again left-back Tyreke Wilson.
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What it means...
City stay top of the north section of the Under-18 Premier League, with 46 points from 18 games.
Key moment...
As Foden found Gonzalez in acres of space for City’s opener, he was forced to ride a particularly aggressive tackle.
Instead of whistling for the foul, the referee played advantage and Lorenzo Gonzalez took the opportunity.
Man of the match....
Matt Smith – Back in his usual position after a stint at full-back, Smith added some much needed physicality to City’s midfield against a big Newcastle side.
It’s not just his tackling that made Smith vital to City’s performance, starting several attacks with incisive passes through the lines and scoring the goal of the match.
How they lined up...
Aro Muric continued in goal.
Jeremie Frimpong started at right-back with Colin Rosler and captain Joel Latibeaudiere in the centre and Nathaniel Ogbeta at left-back.
Matt Smith sat at the base of the midfield behind Phil Foden and Taylor Richards while Luke Bolton and Ian Carlo Poveda flanked central striker Lorenzo Gonzalez.
