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Manchester City took a big step towards the 2021-22 Premier League title with a 5-0 thumping of Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, 8 May. Pep Guardiola's men were under pressure to secure a positive result after Liverpool dropped crucial points in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
The Sky Blues were also coming off a dramatic collapse in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Their agonizing wait for a first European crown continued after Los Blancos triumphed 3-1 in the second leg to clinch a 6-5 aggregate win.
City bounced back in style, though, and turned in a devastatingly efficient performance against Eddie Howe's Magpies. A brace from Raheem Sterling, along with goals from Aymeric Laporte, Rodri, and Phil Foden, secured three valuable points for the Cityzens.
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Guardiola's side were utterly dominant, while enjoying 72 percent possession and completing 712 passes at a 91 percent success rate. Only three of Newcastle's shots hit the target while City attempted 21 shots, of which nine were on goal.
The result took Manchester City to the top of the Premier League table with 86 points from 35 games, three ahead of second-placed Liverpool. The hammering also took the Sky Blues' goal difference to +68, four more than the Reds' tally.
Meanwhile, the Magpies missed the chance to temporarily move into the 10th place and remain 13th, with 43 points from 36 games.
On that note, here are five talking points from a comfortable home win at the Etihad.
#5 Manchester City took control of the game from the very first whistle
Manchester City made their intentions clear from the kick-off and found the net inside the opening 20 minutes through Raheem Sterling (19th minute). The home team were hungry for more and doubled their advantage in the 38th minute through Aymeric Laporte.
The Sky Blues had ten shots in the first-half and put five of them on target. In stark contrast, Newcastle United could only muster two attempts and were pinned back for most of the first 45 minutes.
#4 Eddie Howe's miserable record against the Cityzens continues
Former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe has done a remarkable job at Newcastle United since taking over from Steve Bruce in early November last year. The Magpies got off to a horrendous start in the ongoing campaign and were touted as certain relegation candidates.
Bolstered by an excellent winter transfer window, Newcastle are now guaranteed safety after a terrific second-half of the season. For all his good work, though, Eddie Howe's record against Manchester City makes for difficult reading.
He has lost all 12 of his meetings with the Cityzens so far, which makes it the longest 100% losing record by a Premier League manager against a single opponent.
The miserable run includes 10 defeats against Guardiola, which is also the longest 100% losing record of one manager against another in the Premier League.
#3 After a strong first-half, the hosts took it up a notch in the second 45 minutes against Newcastle United
Despite their excellent showing in the first-half, City's display paled in comparison to their dominance in the second 45 minutes. The Magpies barely had a sniff of the ball after the restart, while the home side added three goals to their tally.
Jack Grealish and substitute Phil Foden were especially impressive and the duo were involved as the Sky Blues scored twice in stoppage time. The goals may yet prove to be vital considering how tight the Premier League title race is at the moment, as goal difference could come into play.
Guardiola's men's attempted 11 shots in the second-half and were clinical as they scored with three of the four on target.
#2 Manchester City continue their sensational record against the Magpies
Considering the fact that City have won five Premier League titles since 2010, their impressive record against the rest of the division doesn't come as a surprise. However, they have been particularly ruthless against Newcastle United.
After Sunday's game, the Cityzens are unbeaten in their last 28 league meetings with the Magpies (24 wins and four draws). Newcastle, on the other hand, are winless in their last 17 visits to the Etihad and have lost each of their last 13 games at City's stadium.
The result was also the 30th time City have scored five or more goals under Pep Guardiola in a league fixture.
#1 Despite the positive result, Pep Guardiola has an injury headache to deal with
Although the home side picked up three crucial points, the victory came at a cost. Talismanic centre-back Ruben Dias was subbed off at half-time.
According to Manchester City's official site, Guardiola has confirmed that the Portuguese defender will miss the Sky Blues' last three league games of the season. To make matters worse, he will be joined on the sidelines by Kyle Walker and John Stones.
It is fair to say that City are facing a mini injury crisis, especially at centre-back. Nathan Ake is also not 100 percent fit, according to Guardiola, which means his team appear a bit thin in defense.
The Sky Blues' three remaining league opponents include tricky West Ham United (7th) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (8th), while 11th-placed Aston Villa aren't pushovers either.
It will be interesting to see how Guardiola shuffles his line-up, with Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool breathing down Manchester City's necks.
