Date: December 26, 2010
The story: City made the journey north to a chilly St James’ Park urgently a seeking a positive response to our festive home defeat against Everton six days earlier to help maintain our Premier League title charge.
With the temperature plummeting and a full house present eager to roar on the Magpies, it threatened to be the toughest of tests for Roberto Mancini’s men.
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However, as so often during the Italian’s tenure, City provided the perfect riposte.
A barn-storming start from Mancini’s men swept any lingering worries aside as we continued our excellent record against Newcastle.
That two-goal salvo inside the opening five minutes also ensured it would be the happiest of anniversaries for Mancini on what was the Italian manager’s first anniversary since taking charge.
And as so often during his superb stint at the Club, it was Gareth Barry who provided the initial impetus.
The England midfielder capitalised on an error by Newcastle keeper Tim Krul and fired home from 12 yards to get City off to a second minute flyer.
Krul sloppily gave the ball to Carlos Tevez as he tried to pick out a team-mate just two minutes into the contest.
The Argentine slipped a precisely weighted pass to Barry, who surged into the area before slotting the ball through the legs of Krul with his first-time strike.
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Within three minutes we had doubled our advantage thanks to the irrepressible Tevez.
Again City profited from an error by the hosts, with Cheik Tiote this time at fault as he lost possession in a dangerous area.
Tevez slipped the ball out wide to James Milner before racing into the area to convert the midfielder’s low cross with a left-footed finish.
It was proving child’s play for Mancini’s men and, appropriately enough, Tevez celebrated by pulling a dummy out from his socks and placing it in his mouth.
City were a constant threat in attack and both Tevez and Aleksandar Kolarov peppered the Newcastle goal with long-range strikes as we sought to further our advantage.
However Alan Pardew’s hosts regrouped and with Andy Carroll a potent attacking outlet, Newcastle began to threaten.
Wayne Routledge picked out an unmarked Carroll with a cross from the right and the striker should have reduced the deficit but his header was too close to the visitors’ goalkeeper Joe Hart.
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Carroll then went close with a long-range shot that took a deflection off Kevin Nolan, who later had a 20-yard effort saved by Joe Hart.
And Newcastle’s endeavours were eventually rewarded with a goal in the 72nd minute.
Carroll was allowed to surge into the six-yard box and headed Barton’s corner into the ground and up into the roof of the net.
Newcastle started to dominate and should perhaps have equalised through Nolan, who met a knock-down from Ranger at the near post but stabbed his effort wide.
But City ensured we avoided an anxious finish by claiming the all-important third goal nine minutes from time.
Tevez was again at the heart of the move, picking out a one-two before shooting at goal.
The Argentina star’s effort did appear to be on target but Krul was undoubtedly undone by the sizeable deflection off Coloccini as Tevez scored his 12th league goal of the season to set the seal on a perfect Christmas gift.
“We were disappointed to lose to Everton,” Mancini reflected afterwards. “And it was important that we had a victory at Newcastle, where it is difficult to win.
“The season is very long and we need to improve. We must continue to do this.”
“I do not think they were generous,” added Mancini of the Newcastle errors. “It was a very difficult game because Newcastle are a strong team.
“We won because we played well and after we scored twice we fought for every ball.”
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