Attempting to explain Newcastle's third defeat in eight days left us torn between describing them as feckless or luckless, but despite the margin of City's success, Eddie Howe's men weren't useless.

No points, just one goal scored and 11 conceded this week looks anything like progress to the casual observer, making the vocal support and flag waving that filled the emptying ground in the final moments totally inexplicable.

Retaining our Premier League status may be in ever greater peril and there's only so much satisfaction that can be gained by watching opposition players celebrate goals without Sports Direct signage being in shot any more, but this isn't quite a hopeless cause just yet, a glimmer of optimism remains.

Alongside that defiance though there's an acceptance that we may not get out of this; that the hoped-for reinforcements might not work, or get here at all. There appears to be a realisation that you reap what you sow and our demise is the logical outcome of prolonged, misguided decision making. On that basis, there's a tolerance of those now seeking to halt the decline that might just give them breathing space and room to work in. What else is there? 

Maybe it was the early kick-off, the collective hangover from Anfield on Thursday or the renewed apprehension across the country as to what the future holds, but the atmosphere at kick off today was muted at best.

And of course in time-honoured fashion, United did their best to eradicate any remaining positivity with unseemly haste. Heads were in hands and the ball was in the net within five minutes after messrs Clark and Dubravka got in the most unholy, unbelievable mess. Like City needed help....
 
There were five changes to the side: Allan Saint-Maximin and Fabian Schar benched, while Jamal Lewis, Javier Manquillo, Jonjo Shelvey and Emil Krafth were all declared unavailable due to injury or illness. That brought messrs Clark, Almiron, Ritchie, Willock and Wilson back in - giving some pace going forward but a backline that inspired anything but confidence.

Attempting to recover from that early body blow, Joelinton fired a fine effort from the edge of the box narrowly wide and De Bruyne was dispossessed in his own box, allowing Ryan Fraser a clean sight of goal. However his shot was cleared off the line as referee Martin Atkinson blew for a foul - the first of many dubious decisions that would blight United during the afternoon.

But there was no blaming the officials for the way United's defence parted to allow Cancelo all the time and space he needed to charge towards goal and unleash an unstoppable drive that sail past Dubravka.

His counterpart was lucky not to concede a spot-kick when cleaning out Fraser while his defence cleared the ball - a free-kick anywhere else on the pitch - but Atkinson and VAR official Craig Pawson saw no offence.

With City in cruise control, United tried to make a contest of it and should have gone in at half-time having at least scored; Isaac Hayden off-target with a header from a corner before Gabriel Jesus shot wide at the other end.

Substitute Allan Saint-Maximin appeared at the start of the second half and within five minutes his cross was just too far ahead of Callum Wilson. Dubravka made a stunning save to deny Jesus' header from close range but it only delayed the inevitable third goal, scored after VAR overturned an offside flag against Riyad Mahrez when volleying in Zinchenko's cross.

With the game gone, United still went in search of a goal but when Saint-Maximin slotted in Fraser, his pullback was smothered by Ederson. The 'keeper then denied Wilson by emulating Dubravka's earlier save as our leading scorer's header looked destined for the top corner of the net (although we did wonder why he was flogged through 90 minutes: had that been a Steve Bruce decision then there would have been plenty of criticism).

Reality intervened again four minutes from time though; City's fourth coming when Jesus breezed past Murphy and centred to Sterling for an easy tap-in. 4-0 and the victors barely played at 75% power. No amount of effort can really bridge that gulf in class, except once in a very blue moon. We're just not good enough. The signs may have gone from the stands, but the legacy is there to see on the field.

Confirmation that Fernandez and Lewis will be out for the foreseeable future means that another mix and match defence will be cobbled together for the visit of Manchester United on the 27th.

We'll then bid a hearty good riddance to 2021 at Goodison Park on Thursday week; by which time the vital work of recruiting new defenders needs to be coming to fruition.

For all the gloom pervading after a desperate week, games against Southampton, Watford and Leeds United next month still represent a viable escape route - if only we can stop the continual self-harm in and around our own box.
 
Biffa