NEWCASTLE UNITED 0, MANCHESTER CITY 1
Raheem Sterling’s goal ensured Manchester City earned their 18th straight Premier League win of a remarkable season at St James’ Park against a stubborn Newcastle United who refused to attack their guests until it was too late and twice came close to snatching a point.
Despite playing within themselves, City are now a staggering 15 points ahead of nearest rivals Manchester United with another round of fixtures to play before the end of 2017.
Pragmatic Rafa Benitez, the Magpies boss, played a weakened team, with more important relegation six pointers coming up against Brighton and Stoke City, while City boss Pep Guardiola shuffled his pack too following the 4-0 win over Bournemouth.
Guardiola benched Leroy Sane, and gave Fabian Delph the night off, while David Silva was also excused for family reasons once again. In came Bernardo Silva, Danilo, and Ilkay Gundogan but Guardiola had to make changes again after just 11 minutes after injury-prone captain Vincent Kompany had to go off yet again.
It was a mark of just how Newcastle refused to engage with City that they ceded 90% of early possession to the visitors (City finished with 78% of the ball), even after Kompany had departed to be replaced by Gabriel Jesus as Fernandinho dropped back into defence again.
Sergio Aguero had already hit the woodwork, the first of two great City chances to rattle the frame of the Newcastle goal, and the Argentine might also have scored from a free header following a Kevin De Bruyne free kick as the chances racked up.
Something eventually had to give and it was a fully deserved goal for Raheem Sterling who exchanged passes with De Bruyne, meeting the Belgian’s sensational return pass over the top with a clipped half volley – his 17th goal of the season – to break the deadlock.
City were quickly relieved to see Nicolas Otamendi’s header off the line minutes later to keep the slim lead intact following a Rolando Aarons chip.
Despite being a goal down, the Magpies were still reluctant to attack City, who had a second half goal by Sergio Aguero chalked off for offside after following up De Bruyne’s curled chance which came back off the post.
City had passed up several chances to extend their lead with both their strikers on the pitch and having an off-night, while Newcastle had been hanging in there all game long before passing up superb chances to peg Guardiola’s misfiring side back.
At last, however, Benitez let the shackles drop and Newcastle actively tried to salvage a point but Dwight Gayle was booked for a blatant dive in the City box and also contrived to miss a great headed chance in the final two minutes to level the scores allowing City to continue their inexorable march towards the title.