Premier League: Man City Thrash Newcastle 5-0, Cut Chelsea’s Lead to 5Pts
Demola Ojo
Manchester City recorded their biggest Premier League victory of the season to overwhelm Newcastle and cut Chelsea’s title lead to five points. David Silva scored twice in an emphatic win as the champions took advantage of Burnley’s surprise draw at Stamford Bridge to give notice that their title defence is far from over. With Yaya Toure back from the Africa Cup of Nations to add authority to their midfield and new £ 25m striker Wilfried Bony starting on the bench, City began with an intensity lacking from their recent performances at Etihad Stadium.
They made the perfect start when Newcastle gifted them a penalty after only 28 seconds, and went on to produce their most fluent attacking display of the season.
Helped by some more awful Newcastle defending, Samir Nasri soon made it 2-0 from Edin Dzeko’s cross before the Bosnia striker ended his 15-game goal drought to put the game beyond Newcastle with only 21 minutes gone.
Along with his energetic performance, the control and composure Dzeko showed to put away Silva’s pass was a sign to the watching Bony that he is not guaranteed his place. But this was an evening where City’s entire attack impressed. While Manuel Pellegrini’s men have been pedestrian in possession in recent weeks, this time they were fast and furious in their attacks.
At the heart of it all was Toure, making more touches than any of his team-mates and orchestrating their slick one- touch passing game.
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure had 134 touches and made 125 passes - with a pass completion rate of 87.2% If City’s results while the Ivorian was away - they won only one of five league matches and went out of the FA Cup - showed how much they missed him, his return also visibly lifted his team- mates.
Silva joined the party with two fine finishes in quick succession after half- time, compounding the misery of the travelling Newcastle support.
Magpies interim manager John Carver has got the job until the end of the season but he has now managed only one win in eight games and this performance did little for his long- term prospects.
By the time Bony emerged from the bench to make his debut with half an hour to go, the game was long-since won. The only mild disappointment for City was that Bony failed to mark his debut with a goal, with Tim Krul’s outstretched leg denying his best effort when he was clean through.
Barcelona will represent much tougher opposition on Tuesday, but this was the perfect preparation for that Champions League last- 16 tie.