Manchester City rode their luck to close the gap on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League to two points with a 2-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday.
Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva scored the goals for the defending champions, who were let off the hook at the Etihad by a series of glaring misses from the visitors.
City have shown flickers of their best form in recent weeks but relied on two moments of inspiration to claim a vital three points from a disjointed performance.
Foden struggled for form and fitness following the World Cup, but the England international has looked more like his old self over the past week.
The 22-year-old ghosted past four Newcastle challenges to score his fourth goal in three games thanks to the aid of a deflection off Sven Botman to beat Nick Pope on 15 minutes.
Pep Guardiola introduced Silva for De Bruyne in a bid to stem Newcastle's flow through the City midfield. The Portuguese had an immediate impact with the goal that settled City's nerves.
