Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle: 5 Talking Points as Pep Guardiola's men turn in a clinical display | Premier League 2022-23

Manchester City scored a goal in each half to secure a comfortable 2-0 win over Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday, March 4.

City entered this contest on the back of three wins and two draws in their last five games across competitions. They secured a straightforward 3-0 win over Bristol City in the FA Cup in their last outing, securing progression to the quarter-finals.

The Magpies, on the other hand, had drawn two, lost two and won just one of their last five games across competitions. Their last game was a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final last week.

Both teams were looking to win this game.

Manchester City made a bright start to the game as they looked to keep the ball for extended spells to impose themselves on the game. They raced into a 1-0 lead just 15 minutes into the game as Rodri set up Phil Foden with a nice pass. The hosts kept the ball for 56% of the first half but hit the target just once in six tries.

Newcastle, on the other hand, attempted two shots but were unable to hit the target. Their strikers were denied service from midfield as Manchester City's players effectively covered most key areas of the pitch. The Magpies trailed by a goal at the break after a frustrating 45 minutes for Eddie Howe's men.

The visiting manager made three changes soon after play resumed for the second period as he brought on a host of attacking options. Pep Guardiola, on the other hand, made just one change throughout the game, replacing Kevin De Bruyne with Bernardo Silva midway through the second half. His decision bore fruit as the Portuguese got on the scoresheet to extend Manchester City's lead.

Erling Haaland provided a smart assist for Bernardo, who made it 2-0 after 67 minutes to put one foot beyond the finish line for the hosts. Players from both sides received bookings, with Newcastle edging a final count of four cards to two in what was a feisty encounter. However, Manchester City showed their mettle as they held on to win 2-0.

On that note, let's take a look at the five talking points from the game.

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#5. Both teams were ineffective going forward in the first half

The only significant event in the first half of the game was Foden's goal, which arguably came against the run of play. Foden received the ball on the right flank before making a darting run into the box, beating three Newcastle defenders before bundling his effort past the onrushing Nick Pope to make it 1-0. However, that was the only shot on target between the two sides in eight first-half attempts.

Newcastle saw less of the ball as compared to the hosts but their intent was more conservative as they knocked the ball around cautiously rather than showing urgency to equalize. They attempted two shots but failed to hit the target.

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#4. Manchester City often need just one chance to score

City are one of the most clinical teams among any of the top sides across Europe, mainly owing to the fact that they are super efficient. Despite having a relatively slow day at the office going forward, the Cityzens made the most of their three shots on target, finding the back of the net with two of those.

They scored against the run of play in the first half and buried the first opportunity they got in the second period to take a 2-0 lead, which was out of Newcastle's reach.

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#3. Newcastle are facing severe issues offensively

Over the course of their ten games, the Magpies have scored more than one goal on just two occasions. They have now lost their last three games across competitions by identical 2-0 scorelines. They fell to Liverpool and City in the league and lost to Manchester United in the cup.

Should Eddie Howe's men look to maintain their push for a spot in the top four, their forwards and midfielders will need to pull up their socks for the business end of the season.

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#2. Pep Guardiola is very astute with game management

Sensing the requirements of his team and the situation of the game to perfection, Guardiola made just one change in today's match. Much to the Spaniard's credit, that move turned out to be a match-winning moment as substitute Bernardo bagged a goal that all but sealed the win for Manchester City.

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#1. City are just two points behind Arsenal now

Following their result, Manchester City trail league leaders Arsenal by just two points, as the latter will host Bournemouth later today. With the two title contenders set to clash at the end of April, any change in lead or the margin leading up to that game will be massive in terms of the title race.