Newcastle Utd 0 Manchester City 2: When Sven-Goran Eriksson was mentioned as a potential Newcastle manager the Toon Army were appalled but they would gladly swap him for Sam Allardyce this morning.

As inventive as they were incisive, City had all the flair and finesse Newcastle lack. Eriksson's men also withstood considerable early pressure before gradually imposing their class and weakening Allardyce's already fragile job security.

Those Newcastle fans still around at the final whistle made their displeasure clear, leaving City fans serenading Big Sam with choruses of, "You'll be sacked in the morning."

Considering that Newcastle's owner, Mike Ashley, is on holiday that seems unlikely, but it is no exaggeration to say that Sunday's FA Cup tie at Stoke could represent a watershed.

Steve McClaren once had a minor flirtation with Newcastle and, for a while, seemed a viable candidate to become their manager.

Much water has passed under the bridge since then and although the former England coach was in attendance last night, Allardyce is unlikely to have been overly concerned by his presence.

Not that he is exactly worry free. What with Joey Barton remanded in prison on an assault charge and Newcastle having taken a solitary point - against Derby - from their four games it has been anything but a Happy Christmas for him.

Factor in rumours that Alan Shearer is keen to succeed him and it is little wonder that there is a discernible tension around the club.

Events on the pitch were enveloped by an icy, sleety wind but Newcastle fans' hearts were warmed by a 4-4-2 formation featuring James Milner and Damien Duff as old-style wingers.

Yet although Joe Hart began his evening by twice saving superbly from Habib Beye - first repelling a header and then the follow-up from the right-back - and reacting smartly when a Micah Richards clearance suddenly flew goalwards after rebounding off Milner's legs, Newcastle were frequently betrayed by the inaccuracy of their final ball.

Still pumping too many long punts towards the area, their game often lacked the finesse and intricacy epitomised by Elano.

The Brazilian is the sort of playmaker Newcastle fans crave, and he is not a bad finisher either. Having played Stephen Ireland in with an adroit back-heel and seen him in turn pick out Darius Vassell, the Brazilian was on hand to meet the latter's pass and direct a low left-foot shot into the bottom corner.

It was an uplifting move of the sort which has been missing from Newcastle's game under Allardyce.

City had been much more concerned with defending than attacking and were relieved when Hart proved equal to a ferocious shot from Obafami Martins.

Allardyce replaced Martins with Michael Owen, finally recovered from a thigh strain, at half-time and the striker should probably have scored with his first touch.

Put through by Charles N'Zogbia, Owen saw his shot parried by Hart's outstretched leg, but that close shave for City was as much about the substitute's ring-rustiness as their goalkeeper's agility.

After that things seemed to go downhill for Newcastle as Eriksson's side gained increasing control and with home fans already streaming for the exits, City doubled their advantage.

It was a case of Eriksson's substitutions proving inspired.

While Gelson Fernandes scored with his first touch - a rising, left-foot shot into the top corner - just 40 seconds after replacing Ireland, his goal was created by Kelvin Etuhu, who held off a pair of markers to slip the ball into Gelson's path.

• Guardian Service

NEWCASTLE UTD: Given, Beye, Taylor, Cacapa, N'Zogbia, Milner, Butt, Faye (Emre 73), Duff (Jose Enrique 64), Viduka, Martins (Owen 46). Subs not used: Harper, Rozehnal.

MANCHESTER CITY: Hart, Onuoha, Richards, Dunne, Ball, Ireland (Gelson 75), Hamann, Elano (Etuhu 71), Corluka, Petrov, Vassell (Bianchi 88). Subs not used: Isaksson, Garrido. Booked: Elano, Vassell, Gelson.

Referee: Martin Atkinson(W Yorkshire).