ON A HIGHER LEVEL

City look a class apart as they stroll past Newcastle and book semi-final tie with Gunners

THEY may have been deposed as Premier League champions, but Pep Guardiola’s side look hungry for a cup treble.

Raheem Sterling’s 68th minute strike finished off Newcastle and set up an FA Cup semi-final tie against Arsenal.

And the hurt felt by seeing rivals Liverpool lauded as the best in the land this weekend was channelled into an utterly dominant demolition of Steve Bruce’s side.

Birthday boy Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring at the end of a first half in which Newcastle were hardly given a kick, such was City’s persistent, ball-hogging brilliance.

They are chasing a seventh FA Cup, to add to the Carabao Cup they have already banked this season, with a Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid on the horizon in August.

And with Liverpool’s celebrations still echoing, there was no sulking from City. They were so efficient it was an insult to call this a contest, as they launched a relentless assault on the home goal from the off.

By the time De Bruyne netted the penalty-kick opener in the 36th minute (below) they could boast an astonishing 86 per cent possession. Recalled centreback Fabian Schar shoved Gabriel Jesus needlessly as a cross was floated over by Kyle Walker, referee Lee Mason awarded the spot-kick, and De Bruyne stroked home for his 15th of the season on his 29th birthday.

City pressed relentlessly, devouring the ball. They were frighteningly tenacious and snappy winning it back. And Sterling made it certain, notching the second after a ruthless two-pass, 90-yard move.

Aymeric Laporte pinged a 50-yard crossfield pass to sub Phil Foden, who collected it brilliantly and burst forward to release Sterling.

The England winger stepped in from the left and curled a superb 25-yard shot past Karl Darlow. A minute earlier United

sub Dwight Gayle had blown a simple chance to undeservedly level the game. Allan SaintMaximin gave him a tap-in from six yards out but he somehow put it over (right).

Newcastle, banked up with ten men behind the ball, had hoped they could smother City’s attacking intent.

They’d had some change from such tactics in the past two years, beating City once and getting a draw.

Not this time though, and Bruce’s side had to ride their luck to keep the score down. Andy Carroll mustered their only real shot, and that dribbled into Claudio Bravo’s arms. Initially Riyad Mahrez was at the centre of the chaos, putting a shot over the bar from De Bruyne’s pass. Walker then fired into the box hoping for a pinball into the net. David Silva deflected it on to Jesus and his effort flashed inches wide with the home defence completely flat-footed.

The onslaught continued as De Bruyne claimed a poor clearance and released Mahrez, who curled just over. Darlow then saved well twice from Sterling before the first drinks break.

Bruce’s side had gone five unbeaten since he switched to a back four to unlock more goal threat, and he made a huge call to go five at the back again.

That plan was ditched at halftime and they improved after the break, if only marginally.

This was Newcastle’s first quarter-final since 2006, and silence in the stadium didn’t help their chances of an upset.

A full house of Geordies anticipating a semi-final trip to Wembley would surely have been a bit more intimidating for masters of keep-ball City.