Birmingham //This was a performance of champions, a show of superiority and incision but Manchester City's elegance was bittersweet. They know it was in vain, that their crown is destined to rest on their rivals' head. They understand that, exceptional as they were against Newcastle United, all they did was cement their hold on second place. Had all season be played like this by them, with such talent and such verve, they might have retained their name. Had they been able to field a side of such strength - somewhat, for a lot of the season, the vulnerable staff who floundered at Everton - they may be in contention. As an alternative, it served to stress what might have been. Yaya Toure, lacking each time a subdued side tucked up at Everton fourteen days earlier, provided the last target, that has been debited to James Perch. Vincent Kompany, absent for two weeks, got the third in remarkable fashion. The match was won, however, in the room of five full minutes by the end of the very first half when Carlos Tevez and David Silva hit. However, 15 factors behind Manchester United, their fans dismissed the category and sang about their Wembley Stadium trip in the FA Cup. "It is important to have second position and to gain the FA Cup semi-final," said Roberto Mancini, the boss. "It is impossible to win the name but similar to this we will not have a problem in the last couple of months of the season." if we play There is one potential roadblock on the path to honor, but. Tevez has long led an abnormal life but, also by his standards, an important day or two beckon. The Manchester derby is next Monday, if the man who traded red for blue returns to Old Trafford. Before then, nevertheless, he is due in court on Wednesday to face two motoring charges which could result in a jail term. In the meantime, mentions of him giving a leading edge to City abound, maybe not least as they are correct. With greater beauty, Silva and Samir Nasri were different factors. The Frenchman, who had been benched, was the initial risk, wriggling away from two would-be tacklers and centring. It seemed easier for Edin Dzeko to score, but he sidefooted his picture against Rob Elliot, and then for Gareth Barry to find the web, but he blazed over from the jump. It was City's sign to perform at a better pace. Possibilities were fashioned: for Dzeko, who went wide; for Gael Clichy, whose shot was saved; for Silva, who won but was offside. "We were lucky to make the journey to 40 minutes without conceding," said the Newcastle manager Alan Pardew. Then came City's quick double. Both concerned Silva. He provided the evolving Clichy, who centred for Tevez, sliding in with Jonas Gutierrez, to apply the finishing touch. Then Nasri darted between defenders to setup Silva and the Spaniard drilled his chance past Elliot. The Magpies had confronted at 0-0, when Joe Hart held out Papiss Cisse's great volley, and had their utmost spell just after half time. A comeback was snuffed by the returning Kompany. He maintained a back-heeled volley to turn Barry's deflected picture in. Following the controversy surrounding his choice for Belgium on Tuesday, against Mancini's needs, he was finally back in City colors. "We enjoyed without him for 60 days and it was very bad for us," Mancini said. They have been without Toure, also, mainly due to the African Cup of Nations but he illustrated his importance again when he powered by way of a gap in the Newcastle defence. His shot took a telling touch off Perch and beat the overworked Elliot. The goalkeeper was the one person recognized by Pardew but Newcastle were obstructed by a lengthy injury list. "With my most readily useful team, I think we may have struggled against that Man City team," Pardew said. Because it is, they are only three points off the relegation zone. "I do not think we ever thought we were out of it," Pardew included. sports@thenational.ae Follow us @SprtNationalUAE
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