LIVE BLOG END

That's it for me today, and thanks so much for joining me for this entertaining match.

As always, I'll be back shortly with six things we learned from Manchester City's win, so stay logged into Bleacher Report for tons of analysis of this and other Premier League matches this weekend.

Thank you for your company this Saturday morning, and I look forward to seeing you next time. Until then, have a great, football-filled weekend.

Post-match

If Manchester City can keep up the high standard of swashbuckling play they displayed today, this will once again be an extremely entertaining title race.

Credit to Newcastle, though. They really threatened to get an equalizer after Demba Ba's goal in the 51st minute, and fought extremely hard in the second half.

However, quality won out in the end, and the better side leaves with three points.

Stu Forster/Getty Images

Post-match

Bar a brief but sustained period of Newcastle resurgence in the second half, Manchester City controlled this game.

They could and should have won the match by more than two goals, but they did their job and leave St. James' Park with three points to put the pressure on Manchester United.

FULL TIME

90+3'—Oh, terrible ball from Dzeko on the city counter, and the Citizens have a corner kick. Might be the last kick of the match.

90+3'—Sylvain Marveaux manages to work the ball onto his favored left foot and has a shot, but it flies over the bar.

Ooh, horrible and unnecessary back pass from Gael Clichy, but we only have about 30 seconds left to play.

90+1'—Manchester City take a corner without much ambition, another Newcastle attack ends up in Joe Hart's hands, and it looks like both sides will just play this one out to a 3-1 score.

Three minutes of added time.

90'—Just to update you on a substitution made several minutes ago, Shola Ameobi is in for Papiss Cisse.

Meanwhile, City continue to take the game to Newcastle on the break, wasting time and threatening to score a fourth at the same time.

86'—Newcastle attacking again with their typical buffet of crosses and long balls, but Joe Hart is not particularly troubled.

City have the look of a team that knows it has the game won, but they're still playing extremely hard to keep Newcastle at bay.

83'—Newcastle substitution

Shane Ferguson replaces Danny Simpson in a last-ditch effort from Alan Pardew.

83'—After the goal, Joleon Lescott replaced Carlos Tevez in a very appropriate defensive substitution.

Clive Mason/Getty Images

81'—GOAL!!!

Yaya Toure gets the last touch, and Newcastle are extremely unfortunate. David Silva calculated his pass on the left wing, giving it to Pablo Zabaleta, who pulled it back for Toure in traffic.

The Ivorian slotted it past a flailing Tim Krul at the near post, and City look to have it won. Credit to Newcastle, though, they've fought extremely hard.

78'—Manchester City attacking fluidly again, but Newcastle are defending doggedly in and around their own box.

76'—Newcastle substitution

Sylvain Marveaux comes on for Cheick Tiote, who put in a good shift today but is a tactical liability at this point.

75'—Edin Dzeko falls down while a pass is played to him in the box, but he wouldn't have latched on to it anyway.

Substitution about to happen for Newcastle.

72'—Manchester City substitution

Edin Dzeko replaces Aleksandr Kolarov, as the substitute is substituted. It appears that Kolarov is injured, which comes right after another had healed up.

72'—Ooh, Papiss Cisse was almost in there, but Gael Clichy got around him in the nick of time to break the move up.

Stu Forster/Getty Images

69'—City attack in a measured manner, but Newcastle cut it out and break.

James Perch should have found Papiss Cisse on the right, but he gives it to Demba Ba, who strikes a low shot right at Joe Hart.

Newcastle need to score quickly because the farther we go into this match, the more Manchester City will be content to sit back and deny their opponents.

67'—Decent cross into the box for Newcastle, Demba Ba makes a threatening run but Gael Clichy cuts it out.

Ooh, and at the other end, Sergio Aguero lays the ball across the face of goal and Fabricio Coloccini rather coolly puts it wide of his own net.

65'—Liverpool will be considering that, if you believe the rumors:

...how much is that release clause in Ba's contract? £7m? hmm. Goal number 11 of the season for the man some thought was a crock.

— Philippe Auclair (@PhilippeAuclair) December 15, 2012

64'—Sergio Aguero is offside for Manchester City, and the ensuing Newcastle attack produces a corner kick.

Anita takes, the ball is played back in, but headed out again.

Newcastle are clearly winning the physical battle in the box, which is the avenue through which all their best chances have come.

61'—Newcastle now creating some sustained buildup as City look more willing to back off the ball and form a solid defensive shape.

Cheick Tiote wastes a chance by horribly mis-kicking a long shot, and City counter.

59'—Extraordinary stuff from Tim Krul. Carlos Tevez was in on the right side, Krul rushed out to the corner of his area to stop him and Tevez lashed a shot right into his leg.

This is some exciting game, as Newcastle get another corner, which is well defended.

Stu Forster/Getty Images

56'—This has become a really open game. Every Newcastle attack is followed by a Manchester City counterattack in tons of space, and vice versa.

Now it looks like James Perch and Kolo Toure are both receiving yellow cards for a tough challenge and a little altercation afterwards. Play still rolls on.

53'—Oh, and so nearly for Papiss Cisse!

The Senegalese striker got into a pocket of space just inside the box, turned and blasted a shot with his left foot and saw it fly just over the bar.

Interesting game we have now.