Fabulous Phil Foden was on target again as Manchester City closed the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal to two points, with a 2-0 win over Newcastle at the Etihad on Saturday.
City’s winger took his recent tally to four goals in three games just 15 minutes into the contest, gliding past at least three Newcastle defenders before Sven Botman diverted his close-range shot beyond Nick Pope. “It was a brilliant action from Phil,” purred City boss Pep Guardiola afterwards.
Newcastle had their moments at the other end, with Sean Longstaff’s shot blocked and Callum Wilson miscuing in the first half before subs Joe Willock and Alexander Isak threatened after the break but it was Bernardo Silva who stepped off the bench to score the decisive second goal (67) for the hosts.
The clean sheet was Ederson’s 100th in the Premier League and he and his City team-mates will now have an eye on the Gunners’ home game with Bournemouth, which kicks off at 3pm.
Newcastle had been unbeaten in their last eight away games but their poor record at Man City continues. They have never won in the league at this stadium and, less than a week on from their Carabao Cup final defeat to Man Utd, their 14th Premier League loss on the spin at the Etihad has dealt a blow to their top-four hopes.
Newcastle remain four points off fourth-placed Tottenham with a game in hand but with no win in their last five Premier League games and just two goals in those fixtures, the worry for boss Eddie Howe will be his side’s wastefulness in front of goal is causing them to drop away.
