4 Things We Learned From Manchester City’s 2-0 Win Over Newcastle United

Last night, Manchester City kept their dreams of completing back-to-back trebles alive when they comfortably swept aside Newcastle United by a score of 2-0.

It was a solid display from the Sky Blues, who never really looked threatened by their opponents – in truth, the final scoreline could have been far wider.

Nevertheless, it was an encouraging outing for the Citizens – Pep Guardiola’s men seem to be hitting a run of good form at the business end of the 2023/24 season. Can they keep it up?

Bernardo Silva is back to his best

Bernardo Silva is one of Manchester City’s most consistent stars – you will rarely see him experience a run of poor form. Nevertheless, he is currently playing at the peak of his abilities.

The Portuguese superstar scored both of City’s goals yesterday evening, both of which deflected off Newcastle defenders. This may take the shine off of them a bit – but you don’t win any prizes if you don’t buy a ticket.

Silva has been Guardiola’s trusty star man for years now. It is about tim we give him his flowers – his workrate, combined with his natural ability, make him a mainstay of this legendary City team.

Jeremy Doku has work to do – but he’s a fullback’s nightmare

Jeremy Doku showed how much of an asset he is to City last night. Mentally, he still has work to do – he can often make confusing decisions with the ball – but he’s a menace when allowed to run at players.

The Magpies simply had no answer for the young Belgian when he managed to pick up a head of steam, powering and jinking his way past their midfield and backline effortlessly.

Make no mistake, Doku’s potential in modern football is limitless. He’s still somewhat green, but we would expect him to improve on his weaknesses in short order under Guardiola.

Stefan Ortega is underrated

When Ederson was ruled out for up to four weeks, certain City fans may have groaned. However, they have no cause for concern – Stefan Ortega has done a fine job thus far.

While Newcastle rarely threatened last night, Ortega was on hand to bat away any shots aimed at goal – including a solid effort from star striker Alexander Isak.

It’s very unlikely that Ortega will ever unseat Ederson, but City fans should rest assured that they have a decent backup option waiting in the wings should the Brazilian be unavailable.

Phil Foden is best player England have to offer

Make no mistake – Phil Foden is currently England’s best player. He has grown into his central midfield role with maturity, displaying a fantastic work rate and creative eye.

In many ways, he is beginning to resemble Kevin De Bruyne at his best – he may even be seen as a long-term replacement for the aging Belgian.

We all know how talented Foden is on the ball – but the advances he has made off it are incredible. His pressing and tackling are both getting much better – in turn, making him a more complete footballer.