City Demolish Newcastle to close gap on Chelsea

Manchester City enjoyed a near perfect day in the build up to Tuesday's titanic clash with Barcelona by cutting Chelsea's lead in the title race.

City reduced Chelsea's advantage to five points with this thumping of hapless Newcastle at the Etihad to make it 11 straight league wins over the magpies

They also slashed Chelsea's superior goal difference from eight to three to breathe new life into the title race.

David Silva was the brightest of City's star studded team and he made one and scored two inside two minutes to take his Premier League tally to nine.

The rout began after 72 seconds when Vurnon Anita fouled Edin Dzeko for a penalty and Sergio Aguero dispatched the spot-kick.

Samir Nasri made it 2-0 on 11 minutes before Dzeko chested down Silva's excellent ball to score their third on 21 minutes with his first City strike since September.

Newcastle were hopeless and were totally devoid of leadership.

It was too easy for City and Silva applied too classy left-foot finishes on 50 and 52 minutes to make it 5-0.

Wilfried Bony came off the bench to make his debut and the £25million striker was denied a goal by the outstretched left leg of Tim Krul.

Ten-man Chelsea dropped two points at Stamford Bridge as the Barclays Premier League leaders were held to a 1-1 draw by strugglingBurnley.

Defender Branislav Ivanovic's fourth goal in six appearances put the hosts ahead after Eden Hazard had brilliantly skipped past four players.

However, Nemanja Matic was dismissed midway through the second half after he reacted violently to an excessive challenge by Ashley Barnes, meaning he now misses next weekend's Capital One Cup final.

Barnes, who escaped any sanction for the tackle and could face retrospective action, forced Thibaut Courtois into a brilliant save but from the subsequent corner Ben Mee scored nine minutes from time.

That gave renewed hope to second-placed Manchester City in their late kick-off at home to Newcastle.

Arsenal leapfrogged Manchester United, who slipped to a first defeat in seven matches at Swansea, into third after a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.

Danny Welbeck had a hand in both goals - both disputed by the Eagles. He was brought down by Papa Souare for Santi Cazorla's eighth-minute penalty, and then had a shot parried by Julian Speroni for Olivier Giroud to convert from close range for his eighth in 11 matches. Glenn Murray notched a late consolation for the home team.

Swansea recorded their first league double over an in-form Manchester United, who had taken 34 points from the last 45, by coming from behind to triumph 2-1.

Midfielder Ander Herrera's second goal in six days put the visitors ahead midway through the first half but Ki Sung-yueng, who scored in the 2-1 win at Old Trafford on the opening day, converted Jonjo Shelvey's pass two minutes later before Shelvey drilled home from 30 yards after the break.

Tim Sherwood's first match in charge could not halt Aston Villa's losing run as they slipped to a sixth successive defeat to Stoke.

A glancing header from on-loan Manchester City winger Scott Sinclair - his second in as many games - was cancelled out by Mame Biram Diouf on the stroke of half-time.

Victor Moses then converted a 90th-minute penalty after he was brought down by Ron Vlaar - a challenge which earned the Villa captain a second yellow card.

Joey Barton was sent off for the ninth time in his career as QPR lost 2-1 at Hull.

The Hoops captain, already on a Premier League record run of seven consecutive yellow cards, was dismissed for a below-the-belt blow on Tom Huddlestone.

QPR striker Charlie Austin, back from injury, scored his 14th of the season to cancel out Nikica Jelavic's 16th-minute opener only for Dame N'Doye to snatch victory a minute from time.

A goalless draw at home to West Brom did little to ease Sunderland's worries near the foot of the table, with Adam Johnson's disallowed goal the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock at the Stadium of Light.