Bernardo Silva's first-half brace was the difference as Manchester City defeated Newcastle United 2-0 on Saturday.
The teams were facing off in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, which City are defending as part of their treble from last season.
While there were only two goals scored in the match, it wasn't a particularly close affair as City dominated possession and outshot the Magpies 16-2 (5-1 on target). The game reflected both teams' respective places in the Premier League standings, as the Sky Blues are once again in the thick of the title hunt while Newcastle sit 10th on the table.
For Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, the match was a learning experience for a side trying to get to where City have been for the past decade.
“We tried our very best to force them into mistakes, but they didn’t," Howe told BBC Match of the Day." They were very good. Conceding the two goals that we did didn’t help our cause.
“It was an uphill battle. We covered a lot of ground, but when we had our moments our last pass was lacking."
Howe pointed to a gulf in class between the players on each team, praising Man City's squad for their calibre.
“The difference is their technical quality and their players who can get out of tight situations – it’s at the highest level," he said. "We’re trying to get to their level."
With the Magpies now out of the FA Cup, Howe said all focus will now turn to the league and climbing as high as possible.
“We’ve got 10 massive games left and are only a few points below seventh place [in the Premier League], so we’re looking to end the season on a high.”
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