FER 3’s A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW!
Torres hat-trick ensures City beat away-wins record
FERRAN TORRES grabbed his first Manchester City hat-trick as the champions fought back in their craziest game of the season.
Pep Guardiola’s men completed their 12th away win on the bounce to beat the all-time record of Chelsea in 2008, and City themselves four years ago.
But victory came with drama as the goals flooded in – three in six minutes to end the first half, and three in four minutes as City came from behind.
Torres was the match winner, as City played as if still giddy from their midweek title celebrations.
Fifteen pizzas, Catalan beer, “dancing and hugging” was the warm-up for a clash with Newcastle, so no wonder the game was so chaotic.
Toon took the lead after 24 minutes, from the unlikely source of Swedish defender Emil
Krafth. First he sent Joelinton on a counter-attack and the Brazilian’s shot was blocked for a corner by Kyle Walker.
Jonjo Shelvey delivered to the back post where Krafth worked his marker, Nathan Ake, to head his first goal for United.
It wasn’t a great start for No.3 keeper and forgotten man Scott Carson, 35, who was surprisingly handed his City debut.
The last time he played in the Premier League was 10 years ago for West Brom in a 3-3 draw on Tyneside, and Carson (right) admitted he was a bit nervous, saying: “I thought my Premier League days were over.”
Guardiola said: “Everybody loves him so much and we wanted to let him play and be part of the success.”
A six-game revival, including three wins and one defeat, helped Steve Bruce to win the April manager of the month award in the hours before kick off. Progress was also evident here, as well as spirit, despite the defeat.
Shelvey came within a whisker of doubling the Geordies’ lead, hammering a free-kick won by Miguel Almiron against the bar.
City were typically pretty, and got level before half time through Joao Cancelo.
He rifled a shot from an angle, which took a deflection off Jacob Murphy and spun past Martin Dubravka.
With three minutes to go before the break, City were ahead, Ilkay Gundogan’s frontpost free-kick brilliantly flicked over Dubravka by the outside of Torres’s boot.
A true moment of brilliance, and the Spaniard’s 16th of the season for club and country.
Newcastle were undeterred. Deep in injury time, VAR ruled
Ake slid into Joelinton after Allan Saint-Maximin’s breakway.
The £40million star demanded the spot-kick and hammered it past Carson. It was a harsh award. Even replays showed Joelinton trod on Ake’s foot as he slipped.
Newcastle were ahead again on the hour, with another penalty. Arsenal loanee Joe Willock burst into the box and was clipped by Walker.
The youngster took the spotkick and it was saved well by Carson, but Willock squeezed home the rebound.
That left United 3-2 up, but they were 4-3 down within four minutes.
Torres pinged home Gabriel Jesus’ low cross to get City level again just 100 seconds after Willock’s penalty.
Then Torres completed his hat-trick a minute later, volleying home the rebound after Cancelo hit the post. That’s why City are champions.