Manchester City just keep on winning.
Newcastle United became the latest team to fail in their attempt to stop Manchester City’s relentless charge towards Premier League supremacy, falling to a 1-0 defeat at St James’ Park on Wednesday night.
Raheem Sterling’s first-half strike was enough to seal another three points for Pep Guardiola’s runaway leaders, who are 15 points ahead of second-placed Manchester United (the biggest-ever margin at this stage of the season).
Of course, the 1-0 scoreline doesn’t exactly tell the whole story. City were typically dominant, enjoying 78% possession and completing a total of 735 passes to Newcastle’s 133. Magpies boss Rafael Benitez had clearly set up to frustrate City, absorb pressure and hit them on the counter-attack.
Passes completed in Newcastle 0-1 Man City:
Newcastle's 13 outfield players: 115
Nicolas Otamendi: 122.Close win for Otamendi.
— Richard Jolly 🇺🇦 (@RichJolly) December 27, 2017
In the first-half, in particular, Newcastle struggled. Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher, both covering the game for Sky Sports, were not happy about how one-sided a game it was.
Neville, perched in the commentary gantry box, said:
“Containment is the right way to look at it because you’re going to have a lot of time without the ball. But I also don’t think we should just sit and accept that first 30 minutes. No ambition from Newcastle. That’s not acceptable in this league.
“It’s difficult of course from Rafa Benitez’s point of view. The finish, Sterling watches it come over the defender, and he hits it off balance – it’s something he could never have done two years ago.
“He makes this Newcastle tactic look embarrassing. It has to change. There’s defending, and there’s showing absolutely no ambition whatsoever. If it were a boxing match, the referee would have stopped it.
“Hopefully it will spark them into life, to give them something to watch.”
Pep Guardiola says that Rafa Benitez is doing a great job at #nufc and is a credit to Spanish managers working in England.
— Lee Ryder (@lee_ryder) December 27, 2017
Carragher was just as scathing, claiming that the gulf in quality between teams at the top and bottom has made it a ‘joke.’
“It is becoming an embarrassment – the Premier League is now becoming a bit of a joke. The teams at the top are so far ahead that the teams at the bottom are accepting they’re going to lose the game and long as its by one or two – they’re not going to give it a go.
“It’s not just Rafa Benitez and Newcastle but there has to be some aggression and then some sort of plan to go forward. But at home it’s a sad state of affairs.
“The Premier League over the years has been built on … every team having a go. That’s why everyone around the world wants to watch it. Will they continue watching it? … It’s a sad state of affairs for the Premier League.”
It sparked a strong response, with many highlighting the irony in Neville, who failed as a manager at Valencia, telling Benitez – a Champions League winner – how to set up his team against possibly the most formidable side the Premier League has ever seen.
https://twitter.com/1878Terry/status/946118351885041665
Benitez tactics absolutely spot on there. Keep it tight. Ride your luck and wait for the odd chance. In the game till the last minute against a team who’s won 17 in a row. Couldn’t ask for more no matter what carragher and Neville think. #nufc #newmci
— Me (@toontoon999) December 27, 2017
Gary Neville: what Newcastle have done is unacceptable
Someone tell him his Manchester United team that cost over £350 million pounds parked the bus at home to Man City @GNev2 #NUFC
— SCARFACE (@LFC_LION) December 27, 2017
Gary Neville criticising #NUFC's setup.
Remind me again, who was in charge of the Valencia side that conceded 7 to Barcelona because they tried to play against world beaters. 🤔
— The Spectator's View (@thespectoview) December 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/Cerebrone/status/946121324107390978
https://twitter.com/EvG_Football/status/946116478474051584
Tactical mastermind Gary Neville, who literally got beat every week as Valencia boss, is trying to tell a champions league winning manager how to set up a team against a billionty pound team on a 15 game winning streak… ok. #NUFC
— Chris (@Chris_H52) December 27, 2017
The neck on Gary Neville criticising #nufc for using defensive tactics against a side that cost over £300m more than ours.
— NUFC360 (@NUFC360) December 27, 2017
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