Manchester City have returned to the summit of the Premier League table after a thumping 6-1 victory over Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium.
Sergio Aguero scored five goals and Kevin De Bruyne netted once to complete a stunning comeback after Aleksandar Mitrovic put the Magpies ahead in the 18th minute.
City have responded to their back-to-back defeats in emphatic fashion, while Steve McClaren's side have now gone eight league games without a win.
Below, Sports Mole has dissected the action from the Etihad Stadium.
Match statistics
MANCHESTER CITY
Shots: 23
On target: 11
Possession: 64%
Corners: 6
Fouls: 13
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Shots: 6
On target: 4
Possession: 36%
Corners: 3
Fouls: 8
Was the result fair?
Given that Manchester City had 23 shots compared to Newcastle's six, it's a safe assumption that the hosts deserved victory today. However, looking at the first half alone, it was a much more even display. Mitrovic stunned City with a goal inside the first 20 minutes and there was some sloppy play from Manuel Pellegrini's side at times.
Newcastle created a few more chances, one of which that Mitrovic definitely should have taken, but it became a downhill slope when Aguero struck before half time to draw level. City looked like a different team when they emerged for the second half, and Aguero, with help from Spanish wizard David Silva, scored twice inside a minute.
De Bruyne showed off his stunning technique for City's fourth goal, and Aguero netted two more goals inside as many minutes to give the hosts a comprehensive victory.
MANCHESTER CITY's performance
As mentioned, Pellegrini's men looked like two different teams in the first and second half. The former English champions initially struggled after going a goal down as they probably did not expect it given that they had the majority of possession in the first 15 or so minutes. The second half was a dominant display, with Aguero running riot.
The Argentine will get most of the headlines, but Silva and De Bruyne put in brilliant performances and barely put a foot wrong. Aleksandar Kolarov and Pablo Zabaleta had plenty of opportunities to get forward and they took advantage by delivering numerous decent crosses into the box. With 20 minutes to go, the damage was done and City took their foot off the gas. To be honest, it looked more like a game on the training pitch as Newcastle had accepted their fate.
NEWCASTLE UNITED's performance
Going a goal up at the Etihad gave Newcastle a massive boost and the lift that they needed to show that they could get something out of the game. After getting a draw against Chelsea last weekend, McClaren went with two strikers Ayoze Perez and Mitrovic up front in a bid to get at City, but it ultimately did not work as their opponents' quality was too much for them to handle in the end.
In the first half, the Magpies were very strong defensively, with Chancel Mbemba and Daryl Janmaat particularly impressive, but once the onslaught came in the second half, every player's head dropped and it became more about damage control than trying to get back into the game. McClaren looked furious at times on the touchline as his players had lost any sense of fight that they had heading into the clash.
Sports Mole's man of the match
SERGIO AGUERO: It is the obvious choice, but it would be odd not to give man of the match to a player who had scored five goals, four of which came inside 13 minutes! The Argentine has struggled with injuries over the last 18 months or so, but he looks very close to his best. The quality of his goals and his positioning shows that he will always be a dangerous threat for City. Had Aguero not scored as many, this title may have gone to Silva as he controlled the game and was involved in almost every attack from the hosts.
Biggest gaffe
Unfortunately for Newcastle, their whole second half performance is worthy of 'biggest gaffe'. We cannot forget that they were playing a title challenger, but to let their lead slip in the manner that they did is worrying, especially because they did so just last week against Chelsea. It is never a good day at the office conceding six goals, and while City were a level above in terms of quality, the Magpies should have continued the defensive command that they had in the first half.
Referee performance
Kevin Friend issued four yellow cards overall, but there were calls for Vurnon Anita to receive a sending off as opposed to a caution. He had two feet off the floor when he lunged in at Zabaleta, but managed to escape with a yellow. Other than that, the referee had a fuss-free game and he allowed play to flow.
What next?
MANCHESTER CITY: After the international break, City will welcome newcomers Bournemouth to the Etihad Stadium on October 17.
NEWCASTLE UNITED: The Magpies will try to grab their first win of the season when they face Norwich City at St James' Park on October 18.
Danielle Joynson
