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Man City punished an early Newcastle United mistake, but the hosts could feel hard done by due to one key moment in their 4-0 defeat to the champions.

Goals from Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling secured City’s third consecutive win and clean sheet. The league leaders didn’t have it all their own way at St James’ Park, but their win was very much justified.

It took less than five minutes for City to take the lead – and Newcastle only had themselves to blame. Ciaran Clark inexplicably failed to clear a cross from Joao Cancelo, thus leaving Ruben Dias with a free header from yards out. The City man made no mistake.

Newcastle weren’t quiet at the other end, though. Joelinton sent one shot wide, for example, and City had to breath a sigh of relief when Kevin De Bruyne lost possession in his own box before a teammate cleared a Ryan Fraser shot off the line. The challenge on the Belgian was judged as a foul anyway.

At the other end, City doubled their lead in quite some style. Cancelo skipped past two opponents before arrowing into the top corner from the edge of the box.

It seemed like it would be hard for Newcastle to get back in the game then. They felt they should have been given a chance when Ederson took out Fraser in the box, but surprisingly, neither the referee nor VAR were interested.

It was a key moment and one Newcastle will be questioning given the outcome of the game.

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Two more for Man City in second half

Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka pulled out an incredible one-handed save to keep the score down and deny Gabriel Jesus a headed goal in the first major chance of the second half.

City kept attacking and Dubravka next had to beat away one of Raheem Sterling’s less powerful, but still accurate, efforts.

The ball was in Dubravka’s net just after the hour mark when Riyad Mahrez connected with a cross from Oleksandr Zinchenko and volleyed in. It was initially ruled out for offside. But VAR intervened to award the goal.

It brought up the Algerian’s 50th goal for the club and it was enough to emphasise there would be no way back for Newcastle.

Still, Eddie Howe’s side remained alive. Ederson clawed away a Callum Wilson header, for example. Allan Saint-Maximin also tried his luck, aiming off target from outside the box.

And it became 4-0 when Sterling finished in the last five minutes after drifting in at the backpost to connect with Jesus’ pass.

Ultimately, Newcastle remain in the relegation zone after a third consecutive defeat. City, in comparison, seem to be firmly in their stride as their title defence continues. They are guaranteed to be top of the table at Christmas.

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