WATCH : Ferran Torres scores a brilliant hattrick as Manchester City twice came from behind to win the tie against Newcastle

WATCH : Ferran Torres scores a brilliant hattrick as Manchester City twice came from behind to win the tie against Newcastle

Manchester City records a 4-3 win against Newcastle as Ferran Torres scores a brilliant hattrick

Pep Guardiola’s side walked out to a guard of honour at St James’ Park, having clinched the Premier League title on Tuesday evening after Manchester United’s defeat to Leicester, which meant that they were mathematically the Champions of the 2020-21 season.

Steve Bruce, the adjudged Premier League Manager for April, had earlier called upon his Newcastle side to go toe-to-toe with the then champions Manchester City, who had lost against Chelsea last time out, at home at Etihad. Everything suggested that the match would turn out to be a classic with Pep Guardiola also bringing some changes to his newly crowned side, before the Champions League final on 30th May.

The Match: As it Happened

Ferran Torres records his first hattrick for Manchester City
Ferran Torres records his first hattrick for Manchester City

Pep Guardiola had indeed made some surprising additions to the squad. Scott Carson was handed his Manchester City debut and a first Premier League appearance in almost 10 years, as walked out to a Guard of Honour against The Magpies.

Man City had early sights on goal. Ake sent an effort sailing wide, before Gabriel Jesus was gifted a chance by a poor defensive header from Paul Dummett, but his powerful hit just drifted past the post. Torres then went close with a superb run towards the near post, but his poked effort flashed side.

However, Newcastle scored early in the 25th minute when Jonjo Shelvey’s whipped in dead ball delivery was met by Emil Krafth who out-leapt the City defender Nathan Aké before directing a header beyond the blameless Carson.

However, City came back in style when Joao Cancelo equalised with a deflected effort into the bottom right corner in the 39th minute and when Torres expertly turned home Ilkay Gundogan’s free-kick 185 seconds later it looked as though the visitors could cut loose. Gundogan’s free kick was flicked acrobatically by Ferran Torres who diverted it into the far corner.

Joelinton hammered home from the spot in added minutes of the second half to turn things level for Newcastle, after the referee had given a previously disallowed a penalty on consulting the video-assistant.

The second half continued in the same topsy-turvy vein. Newcastle were awarded another spot-kick just after the hour as Kyle Walker fouled Joe Willock. It was the Arsenal loanee who stepped up for the second, seeing his penalty saved by Carson but slotting home the rebound (62), scoring in his fifth successive Premier League game.

However, man of the match Torres had the final word, guiding Gabriel Jesus’ cross into the top right corner and then becoming the youngest player to score a league hat-trick for a Guardiola team, when turning in a Cancelo shot that bounced back off the Newcastle post.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was found praising the Spaniard for his performance, as he told BBC news “Incredible numbers and goals in his first season in the Premier League. He is so young and clinical. He is a guy brought as a winger but maybe we have to think as a striker. He is a good player.”

“We play against 10 players in the box, they defend so deep. They are so, so fast on the counter. A tough, tough opponent. Even with that we attacked good in the pockets but we conceded three goals in set pieces and we have to improve that.” asserted a happy Pep.

Torres was usually delighted after his breath-taking show in front of goal.

“It has been an incredible week, we qualified for the Champions League Final, won the Premier League and I scored a hat-trick. Very happy,” Torres told Sky Sports.

“I try to improve day by day and also try to learn from my team-mates and my manager. I try to keep improving and getting ready for the Champions League final.

“I always try to go to the first post for set pieces, I flicked the ball and I think it was a very beautiful goal.”

Watch City vs Newcastle as it happened

It is Manchester City’s 12th successive away win in the Premier League – the most in the top four tiers of English league football – and beat the record held by Chelsea (2008) and themselves in 2017. With this City moves onto 83 points at the top of the table, while a spirited Newcastle remain in 16th with both teams having two league games left to play.

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