Full-time: Manchester City 5 Newcastle United 0

DAVID SILVA bagged a brace as Newcastle United slumped to a crushing 5-0 defeat at the hands of reigning champions Manchester City.

Silva scored twice after the break to help his side ease to victory ahead of Tuesday night’s Champions League clash with Barcelona, but Manuel Pellegrini’s side were already three goals up after first half strikes from Sergio Aguero, Samir Nasri and Edin Dzeko.

The result ends Newcastle’s three-match unbeaten run since Carver was named head coach until the end of the season and means the Magpies are now point points behind Stoke City in tenth.

Carver made one change to the side that drew at Crystal Palace with Vurnon Anita coming in for Remy Cabella, but the Dutchman’s evening got off to the worst possible start in Manchester.

With less than 30 seconds on the clock, Anita’s heavy touch from a careless Mike Williamson pass gifted an opening for Dzeko, and as the striker touched the ball past him the Newcastle midfielder stuck a leg out and brought him down.

Referee Chris Foy pointed to the spot and Aguero coolly slotted his penalty past a motionless Krul.

The visitors responded well to going behind with shots from Massadio Haidara and Daryl Janmaat, but City doubled their lead in the 12th minute.

Dzeko’s cut-back deflected off Williamson into the path of Nasri and he had time and space to take a touch before firing past Krul into the top corner.

It was all too easy for the hosts, who barely had to break sweat for their two-goal advantage and that soon became three with 21 minutes gone.

Silva played a superb ball into Dzeko, who chested the ball down before curling a shot into the top corner.

It was all about damage limitation for the Magpies, who created very little when they did manage a rare foray into City’s half.

Jack Colback’s reaction to giving a foul away summed up Newcastle’s evening when he received his tenth booking of the season for throwing the ball away. The midfielder will miss the next two games.

Carver introduced Mehdi Abeid in place of Anita at half time, but by the 53rd minute Newcastle had conceded two more.

The fourth came when Aguero ran through unchallenged and slipped the ball to Nasri, who played the ball across the box for Silva to tuck home from close range.

From the kick-off it wasn’t long before Newcastle gave the ball away and Silva grabbed his second of the game when he smashed home Aguero’s knock down from the edge of the box.

Both goals came after Papiss Cisse had a wonderful chance to pull one back for the Tynesiders, but his superb first-time volley was tipped over by Joe Hart.

Pellegrini brought on Jesus Navas and Wilfried Bony in place of Silva and Aguero, and City’s new striker was denied a debut goal by the legs of Krul.

The Dutch keeper prevented the hosts scoring again when he got down well to keep out Aleksander Kolarov’s free-kick.

MANCHESTER CITY (4-1-3-2): Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov; Fernandinho; Nasri (Lampard, 70), Toure, Silva (Navas, 60); Dzeko, Aguero (Bony, 60).

Not used: Caballero, Demichelis, Clichy, Fernando.

NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-3-3): Krul; Janmaat (R Taylor, 71), Coloccini, Williamson, Hairdara; Sissoko, Anita (Abeid, 46), Colback; Perez, Cisse, Gouffran (Obertan, 86).

Not used: Woodman, Ameobi, Armstrong, Riviere.