The victory reduced Arsenal’s lead to just two points, albeit temporarily. After last week’s defeat in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United, Newcastle was on a four-game winless run and was desperate to turn their fortunes around.
City took the lead in the 15th minute through Phil Foden, who scored a fantastic solo goal, dribbling past five Newcastle defenders before his shot deflected off Sven Botman’s leg and into the back of the net.
Newcastle had a chance to equalize before halftime but Callum Wilson was unable to finish a header cross from Kieran Trippier.
Newcastle made three second-half substitutions that caused City some trouble, with the visitors coming close to scoring twice within two minutes, but both Joelinton and Alexander Isak were unable to score. City put the game beyond doubt in the 67th minute when Bernardo Silva converted a flick from Erling Haaland to seal the win.
The win was City’s 14th consecutive home win against Newcastle in the Premier League, equalling Everton’s record of 14 straight home wins against Fulham.
Despite the win, City is still two points behind Arsenal, who will play Manchester United on Sunday. However, with just ten games left in the season, City is well-positioned to make a late run for the title.
City manager, Pep Guardiola, was pleased with the performance and praised his team’s ability to control the game. “We were so focused today, we controlled everything,” he said. “We didn’t give them anything.”
Meanwhile, Newcastle manager, Eddie Howe, was disappointed with the result but remained optimistic about his team’s future. “We didn’t deserve to lose, we created chances and we were in the game,” he said. “We’re fighting for Europe, and we’ve got some big games coming up. We’ve got to keep working hard and try to turn things around.”
City will next face Southampton in the Premier League, while Newcastle will take on Burnley in their next fixture.