Full-time: Manchester City 5 Newcastle United 0

WHEN Newcastle United look back on this season they will point to the Etihad Stadium for one of their best performances, but also for one of their worst.

Saturday’s 5-0 demolition at the hands of the reigning Premier League champions couldn’t have been any more different to their Capital One Cup win over Manuel Pellegrini’s side in October.

Then, goals from Rolando Aarons and Moussa Sissoko earned Alan Pardew’s side a memorable win and passage to the next round.

The Magpies went into that game with a clear game plan, executed it well and played with the confidence and belief they could win. The same couldn’t be said at the weekend. But why?

Is it because the players are aware John Carver may not be in charge beyond the end of the season? Is it because they have accepted their season is effectively over by February, or is the problem more deep-rooted?

Yes, only four players who started the cup win started on Saturday, but if anything the team that walked out at the Etihad Stadium at the weekend was stronger than the one that did four months ago.

Conceding a penalty 28 seconds into the game didn’t help, but from the off it looked as though the Magpies feared their opponents and what they were capable of. They defended nervously, afforded their opponents far too much time and space and didn’t look comfortable when they managed a rare foray into City’s half.

Going behind so soon made for an uphill climb, but apart from a spell that lasted a couple of minutes Newcastle more or less accepted defeat and waved the white flag when they were just the one goal down.

People will talk about how good City were as they prepared for tomorrow night’s Champions League clash with Barcelona, but they hardly had to break sweat for a three goal lead after 21 minutes.

It remains to be seen who will be given the job of rebuilding Newcastle post-Alan Pardew next season, but one of the leading candidates for the role, Remi Garde, was in attendance at the Etihad Stadium.

The former Lyon boss was working for a French television station, but if he was sounding out his potential new employers what would have been clear is that work needs to be done in the summer.

“We struggled from the beginning, going 1-0 down within a minute. From then on it became very difficult against a very good side,” Ayoze Perez said afterwards.

“We were working all over the pitch but Manchester City are a team capable of producing some special moments and when you play here against a team of that sort of quality they make you work very hard when you don't have the ball.

“They always control the game at home and once they go 2-0 in front not many teams can stay with them.

“They put a lot of pressure on your defence and play with width, so it is very hard to keep them away from your box. Once you are 2-0 down after 12 minutes it is that much more difficult.”

Carver revealed the squad had discussed City’s probable strong start, but it was as though the information had gone in one ear and out the other when Mike Williamson played a careless pass into Vurnon Anita on the edge of the area with 28 seconds gone.

The defender should have sent the ball up field away from danger, but Anita made a poor touch under pressure from Edin Dzeko and checked the Bosnian’s run as he stole past him in the box.

Sergio Aguero made no mistake from the spot, but little more than ten minutes later the hosts were celebrating again.

Dzeko’s ball deflected off Williamson into the path of Samir Nasri and despite seven Newcastle shirts in a crowded box the Frenchman had time and space to take a touch and fire the ball past Tim Krul.

Two shortly became three when David Silva sent a superb ball over to Dzeko in the box and he had done enough to get away from Fabricio Coloccini before he chested the ball down and hit a half volley into the net.

At that point, almost 3,000 travelling fans feared the worst and it didn’t get any better after the break. A spectacular volley from Papiss Cisse was well saved by Hart, but the Magpies positive start to the second half didn't last long.

In the 51st minute Aguero was given the freedom to run from the left channel inside his own half across the penalty box and after playing in Nasri he sent the ball across to Silva, who outsmarted Coloccini before firing in from close range. It was a well-worked goal, but another that could have been prevented.

Silva added his second two minutes later when Yaya Toure found Aguero to chest down for the Spaniard to hit a first-time shot into the far corner.

Perez said: “In the second half we tried to make it respectable. We tried to keep the score down and if possible score ourselves but it was impossible.

“When you are playing against a team of that quality it is very difficult to keep it to 3-0, never mind make it 3-1.”