SILVA AND SOLID GOLD
Legend shines as he finishes with a flourish
Jesus 10, Mahrez 21, Fernandez og 58, Silva 65, Sterling 90
IF it turns out to be his last goal at the Etihad, it was suitably exquisite.
A free-kick not so much struck as persuaded, not fired but finessed.
Martin Dubravka should have done better but maybe he was just admiring one of the most mesmerising of left foots, as fans the length and breadth of the country have done for a decade.
Manchester City still have a couple of home matches remaining and he might reproduce the sort of moment that produced City’s fourth in this bloodless victory. But as the clock ticks down on his beautiful career in England, there was just a touch of poignancy about David Silva’s hit and his performance. It was vintage.
He will be missed by City, he will be missed by the game on these shores. This was a stroll but no one strolls with more panache than Silva, whether it be in providing Gabriel Jesus with his first goal in 10 appearances or helping Raheem Sterling pop in his 14th Premier League goal of the season.
Those goals topped and tailed a City performance that was as routine as one of those Silva assists.
The only concern for Pep Guardiola came when Danny Rose cut through Kevin De Bruyne in the dying moments and left the Belgian limping and furious.
Guardiola said: “I was trembling, it was scary but a bit later he made a run so, hopefully, he’s OK.”
De Bruyne had collected another assist when Riyad Mahrez used his cut-back to double City’s first-half lead and, after the break, a Federico Fernandez own goal put an end to any fanciful idea that Newcastle might put up a meaningful fight on a dank evening.
The stage was then left for Silva and his free-kick and final assist. Guardiola said: “David is a huge competitor. Playing in those small spaces, he is a fantastic footballer.
“He was really, really good. In the last two games, the level he is having is the best of his season. He is a legend.”
As Silva left the field, he was embraced by Phil Foden, the pair with matching smiles.
Foden has long been seen as the Spaniard’s heir apparent.
If he turns out to be half as good as Silva, he will still be some player.
74%
26%
MAN CITY: Ederson 6, Cancelo 6 (Walker 46, 7), Otamendi 6, Stones 7, Zinchenko 7, Rodri 6 (Gundogan 46, 6), De Bruyne 8, MOTM Silva 9, Mahrez 7 (Doyle 75, 6), Jesus 8 (Sterling 61, 6), Foden 8 (Bernardo 61, 6). NEWCASTLE: Dubravka 6, Yedlin 5, Krafth 5 (Muto 84), Fernandez 6, Rose 6, Schar 7, Lazaro 6 (Manquillo 66, 6), Shelvey 5 (M Longstaff 66, 6), Bentaleb 5, Ritchie 5 (Atsu 84), Joelinton 5 (Gayle 66, 6).
REFEREE: Andrew Madley
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has failed to win any of his 23 Prem away games in Manchester (D4 L19), with this his ninth such defeat against City (10 v United).
City completed 787 of their 840 passes, recording a pass completion rate of 93.7% – the highest passing accuracy on record since 2003-04.
City have won 11 consecutive top-flight home games against a single opponent for the very first time in the club’s history.
Thanks to Riyad Mahrez’s strike, City are the first English top-flight side to have five different players score at least 10 league goals in a season since Everton in 1984-85 (Sterling, De Bruyne, Aguero, Jesus, Mahrez).