Manchester City trounce Newcastle to extend their Premier League lead to three points

MANCHESTER: Manchester City trounced Newcastle United by 5-0 to take a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League, overcoming the heartbreak of their Champions League semi-final elimination against Real Madrid.

The defending champions took full advantage of Liverpool's tie with Tottenham Hotspur with a strong response that not only enhanced their position at the top of the Premier League table but also increased their goal differential significantly.

Chris Wood squandered a golden opportunity for Newcastle to add to City's worries early on, and his side paid the price when Raheem Sterling put Pep Guardiola's team ahead after 19 minutes.

After Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka misjudged Ilkay Gundogan's volley, Aymeric Laporte scored a second before halftime, and Rodri sealed the win with a near-post header from Kevin de Bruyne's corner just after the hour mark.

When replacement Phil Foden scored in the dying minutes, turning in Oleksandr Zinchenko's touch, City extended their goal difference even further before Sterling sealed the sweep with a close-range strike in extra time.