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City were comfortable in the second half, their only worry came 30 seconds into the period with that Owen chance, and always kept Newcastle at arms length. The crowd made their feelings known as boos rang out at the final whistle.
Sven-Goran Eriksson tries to run some time off the clock and replaces Vassell with Rolando Bianchi.
Emre whips the ball into box and the ball falls for Taylor but his hurried shot is saved by Hart.
Fernandes is late with a tackle on Emre and picks up a yellow card and this free kick is in a dangerous position for the home side, a case of now or never for the home side.
City are well in control as the game nears a conclusion as it seems Newcastle have resigned themselves to defeat. The side may consider themselves unlucky as the first goal came against the run of play and Hart has made a couple of brilliant saves.
The crowd is obviously unhappy with what-will-be United's third consecutive defeat and start to vent their frustration at the Newcastle bench.
Newcastle work the ball nicely up field and tee up Butt, 25 yards out, but his drilled shot is brilliantly saved by Hart.
Vassell is penalised for a foul on Beye and has rather too much to say for himself and goes into the referee's notebook.
Corluka and Vassell combine well in the box and the latter lays the ball off to the substitute Fernandes, who makes an immediate impact with a drilled finish from 12 yards out.
City bring some fresh legs into their midfield and replace Ireland with Gelson Fernandes.
Nicky Butt clashes with Dietmar Hamann and has to leave the field to have some treatment - a worrying sign for Newcsatle fans as they have made all their substitutions.
Newcastle win a corner but N'Zgobia's cross is headed wide by Cacapa, although he was under pressure.
It is the last throw of the dice from Sam Allardyce as he replaces defender Faye with midfield playmaker, Emre.
Manchester City decide to make their first change and bring on Kelvin Etuhu for the man who has, so far, made the difference, Elano.
Neither side has created much in the final third but some of City's one-touch play has been sublime, although Sven Goran Eriksson would like a second goal to ease the nerves.
'Big Sam' has decided to make a second change and replaces Damien Duff with Jose Sanchez Enrique.
Cacapa is caught in possession and City launch a swift counter with Elano arrowing a ball towards Vassell in the box but Steven Taylor makes a great challenge to avert the danger.
Duff again does well down the left and his cross is met by Owen but he cannot direct it on goal and the chance has gone.
The fans are doing their best to keep the players going and Owen is playing a lot higher up the pitch, on the shoulder of the last man, which is causing a worry for City but they are dealing with it well at the moment.
The second half has yet to kick into life with very little happening in an attacking sense, but N'Zogbia's 35-yard shot was not too far away in the end.
Nicky Butt's lofted pass over the top almost catches City out as Dunne leaves it with Owen closing down, but an outstretched hand from Hart manages to save the day.
Although nothing has happened on the pitch since that early second-half chance for Owen, his appearance at least has galvanised the fans and they are rallying behind the players.
It was an almost instant impact from the England international but Owen's shot from the edge of the box, after a good pass from N'Zgobia, is saved well by Hart.
Sam Allardyce has decided to bring on Michael Owen as his side needs a goal and he replaces Martins. City, who have made no changes, get the game restarted.
Newcastle were on top for much of the first period but City did look dangerous when they came forward and actually finished the half the stronger.
The Citizens earn a free-kick in a dangerous position and this would rub salt into the wound. Petrov's curling shot though is well gathered by Given.
City are finishing strongly and their one-touch play is causing United problems but Ireland and Corluka have both missed the target with long-range shots
Goalscorer Elano catches his marker, Meite, late and picks up a yellow card for his troubles.
Newcastle are rocked as Petrov slides the ball through to Elano only to be denied by a good tackle from N'Zogbia, and Michael Ball fires his follow up high into the stands.
Stephen Ireland plays a lovely ball to Darius Vassell in the box and his back heel is beautifully struck home by Elano to give the visitors the lead - against the run of play.
There is a stoppage in play as Richard Dunne draws blood after clashing heads with Mark Viduka, although he should be OK to carry on.
The pace of the game has just dropped off a little after a frantic ten minutes or so but chances are starting to come and it can't be long before the opening goal.
Newcastle launch a quick counter through Damien Duff and he manages to find his way to the edge of the box but then slices his shot wide.
Elano plays a lovely first-time ball through for Martin Petrov and his thunderous 25-yarder is heading for the top corner until Shay Given makes a fantastic save.
Quick feet and a couple of step-overs from N'Zogbia creates an opening from himself but on his weaker foot, 12 yards out, his shot is weak and Hart saves easily again.
Martins and N'Zogbia combine well to set the latter away down the left and his cross is only inches away from Viduka as the Toon continue to dominate.
Sam Allardyce will be delighted his side has woken up as they are looking dangerous. This time James Millner's 25-yard curler is well gathered by Hart but Newcastle are on top.
A neat back-heel from Mark Viduka gives Martins a great chance but, from out of nowhere, Micah Richards makes a great tackle to deny the Nigerian, although the home side feel there was a push in the area.
The game is just starting to open up as City work the ball straight up the other end and tee-up Elano but his volley goes wide.
The Magpies look to counter quickly and Obafemi Martins goes on a charging run. He drills for goal from 25 yards out and Hart makes a good save to keep the scores level.
Manchester City have just wasted a golden opportunity from a horror back pass by Claudio Cacapa. Stephen Ireland got their first but missed the target with his effort.
Perhaps there has been an overkill of football over the last couple of weeks as even the fans are finding it hard to get excited. Still no chances have been created.
The men from Manchester show a glimpse of the play that has seen them 'unbeatable' at home with some lovely one-touch play but the final ball is poor and Newcastle clear.
The flow of the game is almost at pre-season pace and nothing much has been created. It is almost hard to believe that this is the same City side that is going for fourth place in the table.
It is not exactly a thrilling game as yet but it is the Magpies who are shading the early exchanges and they are keeping City pegged back.
United take it short and after a couple of jinks, Duff centres the ball and it is not properly dealt with by the visitors. The ball falls for Faye but he doesn't really connect with his shot and it is an easy save for Hart.
Good link-up down the left creates some space for Damien Duff and his dangerous-looking cross is headed behind by Richard Dunne.
City launch their first serious attack and earn a corner but Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye rises high for the home side to head the danger away.
Newcastle earn a corner and Charles N'Zogbia whips the ball into the near post, Habib Beye gets between two City defenders to flick a header towards goal that Hart does well to save.
It has been quite a sluggish and scrappy start to the game with both teams perhaps suffering from the hectic Christman schedule and nothing much has happened.
James Milner latches onto a long ball over the top and snaps a shot towards goal which forces Joe Hart into an early save.
It could be regarded as a good chance to end respective poor runs by both clubs as the Magpies have won just one of their last four home games, while City have not won away since the opening day.
The referee Martin Atkinson blows his whistle and Newcastle United get the game underway, with both sides looking to get their firrst win of the festive period.
A minute's applause is respected by both sets of players and the fans for Motherwell's Phil O'Donnell, who died on Saturday.
Man City: Hart, Onuoha, Richards, Dunne, Ball, Ireland, Hamann, Elano, Corluka, Petrov, Vassell
Newcastle: Given, Beye, Taylor, Cacapa, N'Zogbia, Milner, Butt, Faye, Duff, Viduka, Martins
Despite the talk of wrapping Elano in cotton wool, the Brazilian starts at St James' Park tonight but City are without Michael Johnson and Emile Mpenza, and Geovanni also misses out.
Newcastle, who have picked up just one point from their last three games, are without Alan Smith and Joey Barton but do welcome back Michael Owen from injury, although he does start on the bench
Sam Allardyce's job could well be on the line if his abject Newcastle United lose at Championship side Stoke City in the FA Cup on Sunday. Manchester City became the latest team to pile the agony on the under-pressure boss as the Magpies slipped to a third successive defeat. The win takes City into fourth place, ahead of Liverpool, as they enjoyed their first away win since their opening day 2-0 success at West Ham. But there was no denying that City fully deserved their first double over Newcastle for more than 40 years with goals in each half from Elano and Gelson Fernandes. Elano's strike after 38 minutes meant that Newcastle had conceded the opening goal at St. James' Park for the sixth successive home game. Yet it had all started brightly for the home side as Habib Beye had an early close-range header cleared off the line. In fact, Newcastle had plenty of the play and possession but lacked the necessary killer punch in front of goal. A mistake by Claudio Cacapa let in Stephen Ireland but he wasted a great opportunity to put City ahead. Newcastle hit back with a couple of stinging shots from Obafemi Martins and Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye that were both well handled by Joe Hart. Elano flashed a drive from the left that Shay Given did well to turn over the top, but the Brazilian was to make a later impact. That came after 38 minutes when there was a clever one-two with Darius Vassell before curling a left-footed shot beyond Given. Allardyce hauled off the woeful Martins at half-time and replaced him with Michael Owen, who almost scored within 20 seconds. A defence-splitting pass from Charles N'Zogbia saw Owen latch on to the ball only to see his effort strike the right knee of Hart and flash behind. But that was a rare scoring opportunity for Newcastle as City dictated the game and a double substitution by Sven-Goran Eriksson paid dividends. It came after 76 minutes when Kelvin Etuhu cleverly held up a ball into the area from Vedran Corluka, who showed great awareness before picking out fellow substitute Fernandes. He in turn finished superbly for his first Premier League goal just 40 seconds after running onto the pitch. That goal signalled the end for Newcastle, who have now lost seven of their last 12 league games and, over the four festive period matches, have now picked up just one point.
Corners
Fouls
Goal attempts
Shots off target
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