[ 2011-11-20 ]

Micah Richards scores the second goal for Manchester City against Newcastle

Manchester City 3 - Newcastle United 1
Barclays Premier League leaders Manchester City
secured another three points as Newcastle United's
unbeaten record came to an end.

Mario Balotelli and Sergio Aguero, both scored
from the spot in between a rasping finish from
home-grown defender Micah Richards, who had an
outstanding afternoon.

It maintained City's 100 per cent home record in
front of a stadium record crowd, although Alan
Pardew's men could justifiably feel the scoreline
did not pay due reward to their own efforts, even
after Dan Gosling's consolation.

It was a matter of some satisfaction on Tyneside
that Newcastle should head into this three-match
sequence which sees meetings with both Manchester
clubs followed by an encounter with Chelsea still
unbeaten.

And, if Demba Ba had profited during the visitors'
best spell of the opening period, they might well
have headed back to the north-east in even more
buoyant mood.

Instead, his snap-shot after being set up by Hatem
Ben Arfa was turned away by Joe Hart before he
glanced a header wide from Yohan Cabaye's corner.

PURPLE PATCH
It was Ben Arfa's first Barclays Premier League
start since he broke his leg in a challenge with
Nigel de Jong in the corresponding fixture last
season.

It does seem City have moved forward since then
both in personnel and a more expansive style.

Yet again, they were the team carrying most of the
threat and before Newcastle's purple patch, Aguero
fizzed a shot over the bar and Tim Krul produced
an excellent one-handed save to deny Balotelli's
close range header.

The Blues were still searching for some kind of
inspiration when Taylor made his intervention.

He would be correct in claiming he was within
close proximity of Yaya Toure's shot five minutes
before the break.

However, referee Chris Foy presumably took the
view that with his arm outstretched, Taylor was
asking for trouble, which duly came in the form of
a penalty when the ball hit him inside the box.

Never one to avoid a bit of drama, Balotelli
strode slowly to the spot-kick before side-footing
neatly into the bottom corner.

It was the Italian's ninth goal of the season and
was celebrated with a folding of the arms and a
steely stare.

MORE ANGUISH
Taylor's afternoon was soon to get worse as on
City's next attack he tried to control Samir
Nasri's through ball and turn at the same time.

All the full-back succeeded in doing was allow
Richards the chance to intervene.

Overlooked by Fabio Capello, the full-back
finished smartly and suddenly City were clear.

To their credit, Newcastle refused to let their
heads drop.

But the second-half just brought more anguish in
their bid to drag themselves back into the match.

First Ben Arfa drove a low shot against a post
after he had nipped in to rob Vincent Kompany.

Then Fabricio Coloccini belted a volley wide after
being picked out completely unmarked from Yohan
Cabaye's corner.

Finally, Hart denied Guthrie, who has sped into
the box and gone for the far corner from an acute
angle.

Having come through those trials and tribulations
unscathed, it seemed harsh that City should grab
another themselves after Ben Arfa had sent
Richards tumbling in the box.

With Balotelli replaced by David Silva, Aguero
took over spot-kick duties and promptly sent Krul
the wrong way.

The sight of Aguero and Toure hobbling off before
the end would be a worry for manager Roberto
Mancini with Tuesday's must-not-lose Champions
League trip to Napoli looming.

And the City boss would not be too happy that
Gosling's effort two minutes from time denied his
side a clean sheet.

Source - Barclays Premiere League

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