MANCHESTER -- Manchester City moved a step closer to securing a top-four finish with a crushing 5-0 win over Newcastle.
Having beaten Steve Bruce's side 2-0 in the FA Cup last month, City did even more damage in their Premier League meeting at the Etihad Stadium thanks to goals from Gabriel Jesus, Riyad Mahrez, David Silva, Raheem Sterling and a Federico Fernandez own goal.
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After conceding the title to Liverpool, City need one more win to be sure of finishing in the top four, although their participation in next season's Champions League will be blocked if the Court of Arbitration for Sport uphold the two-year European ban handed down by UEFA in February .
Positives
Jesus had gone nine games without a goal since scoring against Real Madrid in February but he ended his drought here with a smart side-foot finish to guide Silva's pull-back into the far corner. The Brazilian has looked short of confidence in front of goal since the restart but City will need him over the final weeks of the season with Sergio Aguero nursing a knee injury. Aguero is hopeful of being fit to return for the resumption of the Champions League in August but City's hopes may yet rest with Jesus.
Negatives
It didn't matter in the end but Phil Foden missed two golden chances to continue his scoring run since the restart. Having played his part in City's first two goals he passed one effort wide of the post in the first half and then missed a better chance after half-time from a Kevin De Bruyne lobbed cross to the back post.
Manager rating (out of 10)
7 -- Pep Guardiola continued to rotate his squad with another five changes against Newcastle but his team never looked likely to be caught cold from the moment Jesus gave the hosts the lead in the ninth minute. These final Premier League games are about getting the players into a rhythm for the FA Cup and Champions League and Newcastle never got close to disrupting it.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Ederson, 6 -- Newcastle had one shot on target and he could have spent the evening in a deckchair.
DF Joao Cancelo, 5 -- His run into midfield and pass out to Foden helped make the first goal but he was otherwise sloppy on the ball.
DF Oleksandr Zinchenko, 6 -- Barely had any defending to do but stretched Newcastle with his bursts forward on the left.
DF John Stones, 7 -- In his first league start since January, the England man made a good interception from a quickly-taken Danny Rose free kick.
DF Nicolas Otamendi, 7 -- Newcastle looked most likely to score from set pieces but the Argentine dealt well with most of them.
MF Rodri, 6 -- Had Jonjo Shelvey for company in the first half and flicked one header over the bar from a De Bruyne cross from the left.
MF Kevin De Bruyne, 7 -- Made an intelligent run to the byline to cross for Mahrez to score City's second. Would have had more assists if the finishing had been better.
MF David Silva, 9 -- Took a heavy challenge from Shelvey inside two minutes, made a clever pull-back for Jesus to score the first and added the fourth with a beautifully taken free kick.
FW Phil Foden, 7 -- Showed a burst of pace and good feet to drive into the box but flashed his shot wide of the post. Missed two good chances.
FW Riyad Mahrez, 7 -- Tested Martin Dubravka with an early effort after cutting in from the right and then scored the second from a De Bruyne cross.
FW Gabriel Jesus, 8 -- Scored the first goal and it was his tricky run into the penalty area that ended with Fernandez and Matt Ritchie combining to put City's fourth past Dubravka.
Substitutes
DF Kyle Walker, 7 -- Replaced Cancelo and delivered one fantastic pass in to De Bruyne.
MF Ilkay Gundogan, 6 -- Tidy passing after coming on for Rodri.
MF Bernardo Silva, 6 -- Didn't see much of the ball in his half-hour on the pitch.
FW Raheem Sterling, 7 -- Scored the fifth in added time.
MF Tommy Doyle, N/R -- Made his senior debut and was clear in for one opportunity if David Silva had picked him out.