MANCHESTER, England ( Associated Press) – Manchester City beat Newcastle 5-0 in a disappointing Champions League exit that sent defending Premier League champions three points behind top-placed Liverpool on Sunday.
Raheem Sterling scored twice at the Etihad Stadium, while Aymeric Laporte, Rodri and Phil Foden were also on target as City moved closer to their sixth title in 10 years with three games to go.
The performances and results were an emphatic reaction at Real Madrid on Wednesday to a late semi-final collapse that ended City’s bid for the first European Cup. It also took advantage of second-placed Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Tottenham on Saturday.
City claimed the lead in the 19th minute after a good piece of sight from Ilke Gundogan, who clipped a good ball into the box to take out Joao Cancello at the far post. The defender went back across the goal and Sterling dived to go home.
The second goal came from a corner in the 38th. Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka failed to catch Gundosson’s volley from the edge of the field. Although Dubravka reacted quickly to deny Ruben Dias on the rebound, he couldn’t stop Laporte from going inside.
The third goal also came from a corner in the 61st when Rodri made it to the home post with a delivery from Kevin de Bruyne.
This only served to fire City more and Foden made it 4–0 in the final minute before Stirling completed the route in injury time against 13th-placed Newcastle.
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