Fitzgerald Cecilio – 4E Sports Reporter
London, England, United Kingdom (4E Sports) – Edin Dzeko and Alvaro Negredo scored in each half as Manchester City climbed to the top of the Premier League with a hard-earned 2-0 victory over Newcastle United Sunday at St. James Park.
The win was City’s 10th consecutive victory over Newcastle, taking a one-point edge over Chelsea for the solo spot in the standings.
“Newcastle have a high intensity, to not allow us to play so today we didn’t have the possession but without the ball we had more goals and more clear chances,” said City manager Manuel Pellegrini.
Alan Pardew made three changes from the team that lost, 1-0, to West Brom, handing Steven Taylor a first top-flight start since the opening day of the season.
Pellegrini, stuck with the in-form attacking duo of Negredo and Dzeko in the continued absence of Sergio Aguero.
Pellegrini’s men were quick out of the blocks, going ahead in the eighth minute through Dzeko.
Aleksandar Kolarov found the Bosnian with a superb low cross from the left, allowing him to fire into the roof of the net from close range for his 13th goal of the season in all competitions and his second against Newcastle.
Five minutes into stoppage time, Negredo recovered a miss by Fernandinho and scored past Tim Krul for his Spaniard’s fifth goal in last three matches.
City’s successful day was marred by an apparent knee injury to Samir Nasri, as the France international was brought to ground by Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa in the second half and had to be carried from the field on a stretcher.
Meanwhile, Luis Suarez scored twice and Daniel Sturridge marked his return with a goal as Liverpool overcame Stoke City, 5-3, in a pulsating encounter in the rain-swept Britannia Stadium.
Liverpool looked headed to its first Premier League win at Britannia Stadium when Aly Cissokho’s speculative strike went in off Ryan Shawcross and Suarez scored his 21st league goal of the season.
However, the duo of Peter Crouch and Charlie Adam brought Stoke back to tie the game at 2-2.
Steven Gerrard put Liverpool ahead in front from the penalty spot on his 650th appearance for the club before Suarez added his second goal.
Jon Walters made it a one-goal game but Sturridge scored in the 87th minute to seal the win and lift Liverpool past Everton for fourth place in the standings.
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