Penalties from Mario Balotelli and Sergio Aguero either side of a Micah Richards effort ensured City ended Newcastle's unbeaten record at the Etihad Stadium.
The leaders took a decisive stranglehold on the game in the last five minutes of the opening period when Balotelli drove home following Ryan Taylor's handball and Richards took advantage of a mistake from the Newcastle defender.
Alan Pardew's men fought bravely and should have opened their account in the second-half, only for Hatem Ben Arfa to hit a post before Aguero finished them off.
Dan Gosling netted a consolation.
Manchester United remain five points adrift of the leaders after Javier Hernandez's early goal gave them victory over Swansea at the Liberty Stadium.
The Mexico international struck in the 11th minute, sliding home his fifth goal of the season from Ryan Giggs' pass after Angel Rangel had carelessly given away the ball on the edge of his own box, to give United their first win at Swansea at the ninth attempt.
Scott Sinclair missed Swansea's best chance when he miscued with an empty goal at his mercy, but, although they had the better of the play in the second half, the Welsh side struggled to create against a well-organised United rearguard as they suffered a first home defeat of the campaign.
Robin van Persie scored twice as Arsenal came from behind to beat Norwich 2-1 in the early kick-off at Carrow Road and record a fifth successive win.
The in-form Dutchman made it 30 goals for 2011, the second a sublime finish, after the Canaries had snatched a shock early lead when Steve Morison capitalised on a blunder by Gunners defender Per Mertesacker.
Struggling duo Wigan and Blackburn drew 3-3 in a thriller at the DW Stadium.
Ayegbeni Yakubu gave Blackburn a second minute lead, Jordi Gomez levelled five minutes later and Gary Caldwell put Wigan 2-1 ahead in the 31st minute.
Rovers' David Dunn was dismissed early in the second half after picking up a second yellow card but they levelled 11 minutes later through Junior Hoilett.
Albert Crusat appeared to have won it for Wigan two minutes from the end but Rovers won a penalty in the sixth minute of injury time when David Jones fouled Rovers goalkeeper Paul Robinson - who had come up for a late corner - and Yakubu converted it.
Elsewhere, QPR came from behind to win 3-2 at Stoke.
Jonathan Walters gave Stoke an eighth minute lead but the visitors hit back strongly with goals from Heidar Helguson (22 and 54) and Luke Young (44).
Although Ryan Shawcross pulled a goal back 10 minutes later, Tony Pulis' side were unable to find an equaliser.
Everton were another team to come from behind, sinking Wolves 2-1 at Goodison Park.
Stephen Hunt's 37th minute penalty gave the visitors the edge but Phil Jagielka equalised for the hosts seven minutes later and Leighton Baines' 83rd minute penalty won it, after Stephen Ward fouled Louis Saha.
West Brom defeated Bolton 2-1 at The Hawthorns.
Jerome Thomas gave West Brom a 16th minute lead and Shane Long won it 11 minutes into the second half, after Ivan Klasnic levelled things up from the penalty spot in the 21st minute.
Sunderland v Fulham was goalless, although the hosts came closest with Kieran Richardson and Jack Colback striking the woodwork and Mark Schwarzer producing a stunning reflex save to block Stephane Sessegnon's injury-time shot.
Source: FOOTYMAD
