Classy City get back on track

The Premier League champions did their best to live up to Roberto Mancini’s assertion that City are still a better team than their local rivals as first-half goals from Sergio Aguero and Javi Garcia put the visitors in command.

Demba Ba’s header early in the second half gave an improved Newcastle side a glimmer of hope until Yaya Toure’s goal ensured the Magpies were consigned to a sixth league defeat in seven games.
Newcastle were almost in front inside the opening two minutes when Papiss Cisse’s first-time shot produced an excellent save on the stretch from Joe Hart, but it was City who struck first on 10 minutes.
An exquisite pass from Yaya Toure split the Newcastle defence and played in Samir Nasri, who unselfishly squared for the unmarked Aguero to roll the ball into an empty net.
The goal invigorated City as the champions’ beguiling pass-and-move football perplexed Newcastle, who needed keeper Tim Krul to save with his legs from Carlos Tevez before Mike Williamson blocked Aguero’s shot after Nasri had struck the post.
The hosts were largely a threat from set-pieces in the first half as Williamson’s volley forced another low save out of Hart before Aguero shot wide at the opposite end following another mesmerising move from City.
Krul’s outstretched foot diverted a Tevez shot wide before City grabbed a second on 39 minutes when Garcia met David Silva’s corner and Davide Santon made a hash of trying to clear the Spaniard’s header off the line.
A half-time interval was just what Newcastle needed and Alan Pardew’s men were quickly out of the blocks as Santon came close to atoning for his error by drilling into the side-netting.
On 51 minutes, City were punished for some slack defending as Fabricio Coloccini hooked the ball back into the penalty area and Ba was left unmarked to head past Hart, who was stranded in no man’s land.

An equaliser almost arrived two minutes later after Cisse’s clever touch created a yard of space, but the Senegal striker’s shot flashed over the crossbar.

Newcastle United Team Statistics Manchester City 1 Goals 3 0 1st Half Goals 2 5 Shots on Target 8 9 Shots off Target 6 3 Blocked Shots 3 12 Corners 7 9 Fouls 17 0 Offsides 5 3 Yellow Cards 2 0 Red Cards 0 79.8 Passing Success 79.3 20 Tackles 27 80 Tackles Success 70.4 53.7 Possession 46.3 57 Territorial Advantage 43 406 Total Passes 357 41 Total Crosses 11 172 Lost Balls 156 50 Recoveries 50 44.3 1st Half Poss. 55.7 62.4 2nd Half Poss. 37.6