Record-breaking City cruise to victory over Newcastle

Men's Team

City set two new English football records with victory at Newcastle

Two goals in each half secured a 4-0 victory that ensured the champions are top of the festive Premier League chart, with an eighth successive win also setting a new record for victories (34) in a calendar year.

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Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling were all on target in a game where the home side gave as good as they got in an energetic and committed display.

What happened?

City got off to a dream start after just five minutes with a goal home goalkeeper Martin Dubravka had a big role in.

First, the Magpies keeper tried to play a short pass that went out for a corner and then, from the resulting set-piece, a clever pass by Oleks Zinchenko picked out the run of Joao Cancelo and the Portuguese’s hooked cross was left on the near post by Ciaran Clark and Dubravka leaving Dias the simplest jobs of heading into the empty net.

The next 20 minutes or so weren’t City’s tidiest of the campaign by any stretch of the imagination, with possession uncharacteristically given away on a number of occasions plus Newcastle’s aggressive tackling leaving Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva nursing knocks after over-zealous challenges.

Indeed, the home fans were desperate for a penalty to be awarded after Ederson made contact first with Callum Wilson as he collected a high ball and then as he collided with Ryan Fraser – neither resulted in spot-kicks, despite the howls of derision from the stands.

Moments before the Fraser claim, on 28 minutes, City had gone 2-0 up with a beautiful goal from Cancelo.

He received a pass on the right before drifting inside past Joe Willock, cutting back inside another challenge before planting a rising shot into the top left corner from 20 yards.

It completed the first-half scoring and put the Blues in a strong position, though there was the feeling that should the hosts find a way back into the game, it could be a different game.

Newcastle began the second half with more high pressing, forcing one or two misplaced passes.

But the first big chance of the second period came City’s way when Gabriel Jesus’ point-blank header was pushed over by Dubravka on 53 minutes.

Ten minutes later, Riyad Mahrez did put the ball in the back of the net with a sweet close-range volley from Zinchenko’s excellent cross – the assistant referee flagged for offside, but VAR confirmed the Algerian had timed his run to perfection.

It was also his 50th for the Club in all competitions and his 11th of the season.

There were more chances to increase the margin of victory, and in the 86th-minute, the fourth did arrive when Jesus ran around Murphy on the left before finding Raheem Sterling who tapped home at the far post to cap a wonderful week for City.

AN incredible year just gets better...

This was City’s 34^th league victory of 2021 - a new Premier League  record– and it is an incredible statistic.

City have also now scored 106 goals in 2021 - the most in a calendar year since the PL began in 1992.

The consistency of the Blues has been superb all year, with numerous milestones and records falling by the wayside as Pep Guardiola’s side conquered most of the opponents faced.

These are historic times and the past 12 months have been rich in goals, entertainment and quality.

Star man: CANCELO

Not a bad way to reach your century!

An assist and a wonderful goal on appearance #100 for City from this gifted footballer.

What it means…

City move on to 44 points, three ahead of Liverpool - who were held to a 2-2 draw by Spurs in the later kick-off.

Both teams have a goal difference of +35.

Chelsea’s 0-0 draw at Wolves means they are now six points off top spot.

What’s next?

City host Leicester City on Boxing Day, with a 3pm kick-off.

Three days later the defending champions travel to London to face Brentford (29 December, 20:15pm kick-off).

Pep reaction

“(It was a) good result, exceptional in a not very good performance at all, we were lucky for the goal we scored at the beginning of the game.

“(The) second goal, the action from Joao was brilliant, it belongs to him but the way we played in the first half was one of the poorest of the season.

“I realise we have to be a better team; the first half was a dangerous position and every player played with not complete focus, but the second half was much, much better.”

Teams

Newcastle United: Dubravka, Murphy, Clark, Lascelles, Hayden (S Longstaff 61), Fraser, Willock (Saint-Maximin 46), Ritchie, Almiron (Hendrick 80), Wilson, Joelinton

Subs: Darlow, Schar, Krafth, Anderson, White, Gayle

City: Ederson, Cancelo, Zinchenko, Dias (Stones 70), Laporte, Rodrigo Fernandinho 68), De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mahrez (Palmer 77), Jesus, Sterling

Subs: Steffen, Ake, Gundogan, Grealish, Foden, Wilson-Esbrand

Stats, facts and milestones

• City became the first side to register 34 top-flight wins in a calendar year.
• Newcastle have now beaten City just once on 28 games.
• City have lost just one of the last 14 league away meetings against the Magpies.
• City became just the second club to score in 27 successive Premier League fixtures against the same opponent. Arsenal have previously done so versus West Bromwich Albion.
• City’s eight-match winning streak in the Premier League is the longest current run in the division. The Blues have scored 24 goals and conceded just three during this period.
• City will top the Premier League on Christmas Day having previously done so in 2011-12 and 2017-18 and went onto win the title in each campaign.
• Newcastle have conceded a joint league-high 78 Premier League goals in 2021. It is the most top-flight goals the Magpies have conceded in a calendar year since letting in 78 in 1966.
• Eddie Howe has lost all 11 games against Manchester City - the longest 100% losing record of any Premier League manager against the same opponent.
• Riyad Mahrez has now scored 50 goals for City in all competitions.