Man City eases to 2-0 win over Newcastle in Premier League

Updated Dec. 26, 2020 5:25 p.m. ET

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MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City secured a routine 2-0 win over Newcastle thanks to goals from Ilkay Gundogan and Ferran Torres to climb to fifth place in the Premier League on Saturday.

Gundogan tucked home a cutback from Raheem Sterling to score in consecutive home games in the league and put City ahead in the 14th minute.

Torres, a winger, was playing as the lone striker in the absence of Gabriel Jesus — who has contracted the coronavirus — and scored for the second time in the league this season to make it 2-0. He showed a striker’s instinct to hold back as Federico Fernandez blocked a cross from the right and the ball arrived at the feet of Torres, who stroked in a finish from eight meters in the 55th.

Bernardo Silva struck the post as City threatened more goals in the pouring rain at Etihad Stadium, despite again struggling to show the free-flowing football of previous years under Pep Guardiola.

That might be because Guardiola is playing a more defensive system this season and it’s producing more clean sheets. This was City’s fifth shutout in its last six league games.

City is five points behind first-place Liverpool, having played the same number of games. Liverpool plays West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

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Raheem Sterling

Ilkay Gundogan

Bernardo Silva

Gabriel Jesus

Man. City

Newcastle

West Brom

Liverpool