EPL: Torres hat-trick helps Man City beat Newcastle
Ferran Torres netted his first hat trick for Manchester City as the newly crowned Premier League champions edged a seven-goal thriller 4-3 at St James’ Park.
City hadn’t played since being confirmed as champions for the 2020/21 season earlier in the week and they played their part in what was a whirlwind encounter against a Newcastle team already safe from relegation.
⏱ It ends in defeat for the Magpies at St. James' Park.#NEWMCI // #NUFC
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) May 14, 2021
Pep Guardiola made changes to the City side that lost to Chelsea, with Sergio Aguero and Kevin de Bruyne both missing for the newly-crowned Premier League champions. Scott Carson was also handed his City debut, 10 years after his last Premier League start.
This didn’t stop City from starting the match strongly, though, dominating possession in the first half. However, it was Newcastle who took a shock lead against the run of play on 25 minutes when Emil Krafth headed home a Jonjo Shelvey corner kick.
Shelvey himself came close to adding a second for the Magpies, crashing a freekick effort off the crossbar with Carson beaten as the home side posed a threat on the rapid counter-attack.
90. A stellar striking display! 🔥
⚫️ 3-4 🔵 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/L4gBE40U9k
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 14, 2021
City equalised through Joao Cancelo, whose hopeful strike from just inside the box was deflected into the far corner of the net, before Ferran Torres flicked an Ilkay Gundogan freekick past Martin Dubravka to put his 2-1 ahead.
There was, however, more first half drama as a lengthy VAR check resulted in Newcastle being awarded a penalty kick for a foul by Nathan Ake on Joelinton and the Brazilian striker made no mistake in thumping home an equaliser from 12 yards.
Newcastle scored a third through Joe Willock who finished on the rebound after a penalty save by Carson only for Torres to equalise less than two minutes later, converting a Gabriel Jesus cross into the box.
Terrific against the Toon! 👌
🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/XINnOdV0uK
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 14, 2021
Read Also: JUST-IN: Fans to return to selected La Liga matches
And Torres completed his hat trick moments later, reacting quickest to a Cancelo strike that rebounded off the post to score Manchester City’s fourth goal of the evening into the empty net.
The result moves City 13 points clear of Manchester United in second place, with Guardiola and his players already planning for the Champions League final against Chelsea later this month.