Manchester City battled against some second-half pressure to claim all three points from their trip to Newcastle United this afternoon.
Goals from Sergio Aguero and Javi Garcia gave champions City what looked to be a commanding lead at the break. However, Demba Ba scored shortly after the restart to bring hosting Newcastle back into the contest.
Roberto Mancini's men weathered the storm though and in the closing stages wrapped up the victory thanks to a strike from Yaya Toure.
Below Sports Mole looks back over the encounter to determine if it was a deserved win for the away team.
Match statistics:
Newcastle:
Shots 17
On target 8
Possession 55%
Corners 12
Fouls 9
Man City:
Shots 16
On target 10
Possession 45%
Corners 7
Fouls 16
Was the result fair?
Newcastle started both halves well but over the course of the 90 minutes City did more than enough to argue that they were worthy winners. Some of their football, particularly in the first half was some of the best that they have produced all season. While Newcastle could say that they had chances, they were nowhere near as clinical as their visitors.
Newcastle's performance
In terms of effort Newcastle cannot be faulted. However, when they had the ball in key areas there was a distinct lack of quality at times. It's at those times that you realise just how much they miss the likes of Yohan Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa, who are both injured. Had the French duo been available, it could have been a different outcome.
Man City's performance
Quite simply City did what champions do. They weren't always at their best, but they rode their luck at times and got the job done. Some of their football during the opening 45 minutes was outstanding and when they needed to defend, they did so with minimal fuss. It was the perfect response after losing last weekend's derby to Manchester United.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Javi Garcia: He has been in and out of the side since arriving from Benfica in the summer but Garcia proved his worth today. Not only did he score, but his passing and tackling across the 90 minutes was a joy to watch. With Gareth Barry suspended, Garcia showed that he is a more mobile option than the England international.
Biggest gaffe
Davide Santon's mistake was the sort that will probably keep him up tonight. Garcia's header from a corner went straight to the Italian full-back on the post, but he missed his kicked and the ball trickled into the net via his thigh. It put City 2-0 up and gave Newcastle a mountain to climb.
Referee performance
A faultless outing from Andre Marriner today. He only booked players when their offences warranted it and allowed the game to flow whenever possible. In truth, there wasn't a major decision for him to make.
What next?
Newcastle: The Magpies will attempt to get back to winning ways when bottom-of-the-table Queens Park Rangers travel up to Tyneside on Saturday afternoon.
Man City: Next up for the champions is a home encounter with struggling Reading at the Etihad Stadium.
Liam Apicella
