Despite being unbeaten by Newcastle in the last ten games they have played against them, the tensions in the Manchester City camp were undoubtedly high.  Despite losing badly to Wigan last week, Newcastle managed to redeem themselves with a two nil win at Chelsea.  Undefeated in their last ten games at home, Newcastle had the capability to turn City’s title hopes on its head.

 After a win against rivals Manchester United on Monday night, Manchester City were placed back in the driving seat at the top of the Premier League table and despite being on the same points as United, their seven goal difference was in their favour.  City needed a win at Newcastle to ensure that the title was still in grasp, but Newcastle also needed the points as their fight for a Champions League position continued.

Despite the pressures upon them, City did not bow down and dominated throughout the majority of the game.  Newcastle keeper Tim Krul was put under pressure on a number of occasions in the first half by Silva, Aguero and Tevez, but the keeper admirably stood his ground and the ball failed to find the back of the net.   City goal keeper Joe Hart had little work to do until thirty minutes into the game when he was forced dive and save a shot by Ben Afra that had rebounded of Gael Clichy. 

The second half was City dominated again, but it wasn’t until Samir Nasri was substituted off to make way for Nigel De Jong, that any significance came of it.  The substitution allowed Yaya Toure to push behind Aguero and Tevez and in the 70th minute he curled a brilliant low shot past Krul into the bottom corner of the net - much to both the City bench and fans delight.

City fans nerves were tested in the next few minutes. After being fed the ball by David Silva, Aguero fired a shot just inches wide of the right hand goal.   Moments later Newcastle had the chance to claim a point with a close-range header from Shola Ameobi’s cross but he failed to hit the target.

This was City’s day, and despite slipping after being fed the ball by Sergio Aguero at a crucial moment, Toure managed to regain himself pound in the ball in the 89th minute to secure City’s win and their advantage in the title run.

City have one more obstacle in the form of QPR to overcome before they can be crowned Champions.  The league is theirs to lose but it is looking highly likely that United’s ‘noisy neighbours’ are going to lift the title after 44 years.  Just imagine the noise that United will have to endure in Manchester that day if things go City's way.

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