Manchester City extended their lead at the summit of the Premier League log on Sunday with an easy 0-4 win over the Magpies, who were looking for their second win of the season, having won their first in their last home game against Burnley.
Joao Cancelo, after setting up Ruben Dias to open the scoring scored a wonderful goal himself, before Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling completed the rout.
Both coaches made changes to their team. Eddie Howe made five changes to his team, notably dropping Alan Saint-Maximin to the bench. Pep Guardiola made three changes to his, one of which was the return of Cancelo to the team after missing their last game through suspension.
The visitors wasted no time to get going as they scored their first goal within the first five minutes after a horrific defensive miscommunication by Newcastle. A cross-field ball from Oleksandr Zincheko was raced onto by Cancelo, who got the cross away on the stretch. The ball lofted harmlessly into the box, but Ciaran Clark and goalkeeper, Martin Dubravka both left the ball for each other, allowing Dias pounce at the far post.
The hosts were totally outclassed and they came closest in the first half when Joelinton's shot from a Mahrez clearance went wide of the goal.
Cancelo then found a goal of his to mark his 100th appearance for the Blues with a beautiful strike from range after skipping past Joe Willock and Isaac Hayden.
Then went a sitter missed by Gabriel Jesus, but no thanks to Dubravka, who kept his team in the game. Bernando Silva at the far post headed the cross from Cancelo back across goal to Jesus, but his point blank effort from six yards out was saved by Dubravka. The Dutch goalkeeper was also on hand to punch away Sterling's curling effort about five minutes later.
Mahrez then increased the lead with his 50th goal in City's colours. A cross from Zincheko from the left was hit on a first time volley by the Algerian into the back of the net. The goal was initially ruled out for offside, however, VAR review showed he was just onside and the goal stood.
The Magpies' biggest chance of the game came with less than 10 minutes to go when Calum Wilson sent a powerful header from a cross from the right goalwards. It needed a strong hand by Ederson Moraes to deny the Englishman.
Another easy tap in for Sterling capped the easy trip for the Cityzens as a crossfield ball from Cancelo was picked up by Jesus, who beat Jacob Murphy in a one-on-one situation and made it to the byline, before sending the ball low across goal to the far post, where the arriving Sterling tapped in for City's fourth.
Concluding Thoughts
Even on paper, no one would have expected Newcastle to pull up a surprise by upsetting the champions, regardless of any form they're in, especially with how consistent City have been and I was only surprise they didn't score more than four.
They easily controlled the game and if there is one thing that we have come to know about Guardiola's City is that they never shy away from scoring goals as long as the opportunity shows, which has seen them score 11 goals in two matches without conceding any. It was their 34th league win in 2021, a record number of wins in the competition. The last two times that City were on top of the log by Christmas they have gone ahead to win the league. Will they be able to make it three? I strongly feel their top among the favorites for the title and wouldn't be surprise if they win it.
It doesn't look like Newcastle have had anything sorted yet and they have a long way to go. It's looking most likely that they would be dropping into the championship, only if those around them, the likes of Norwich City, Watford and surprisingly Burnley also fail to pick themselves up.
They have just one win yet this season and have lost 10 games, same number as Norwich who are bottom of the log.