Man City boss Guardiola delighted with hat-trick ace Torres after edging Newcastle thriller | OneFootball

Ferran Torres scored a hat-trick for City and his superb backheeled finish was the highlight of a remarkable game that swung back and forth.

Pep Guardiola, who surprisingly selected Scott Carson in goal - almost a decade on from his last English top-flight game - saw his City side dominate early on but fall behind to Emil Krafth's powerful header from Jonjo Shelvey's corner.

Joao Cancelo equalised with a deflected effort into the bottom right corner and when Torres expertly turned home Ilkay Gundogan's free-kick 185 seconds later it looked as though the visitors could cut loose.

But Steve Bruce, who called upon his Newcastle side to go toe-to-toe with the champions, will have been delighted by their response.

Having been forced to soak up considerable pressure, they levelled when City defender Nathan Ake was deemed to have fouled Joelinton, allowing the Brazilian to score from the penalty spot.

A poorly judged tackle by City full-back Kyle Walker handed the Magpies a second penalty just after the hour mark, with Joe Willock following-up to score after Carson had saved his initial spot-kick.

However, man of the match Torres had the final word, guiding Gabriel Jesus' cross into the top right corner and then becoming the youngest player to score a league hat-trick for a Guardiola team, when turning in a Cancelo shot that bounced back off the Newcastle post.

Afterwards, Guardiola stated: "Incredible numbers and goals in his first season in the Premier League. He is so young and clinical. He is a guy brought as a winger but maybe we have to think as a striker. He is a good player."

"We play against 10 players in the box, they defend so deep. They are so, so fast on the counter. A tough, tough opponent. Even with that we attacked good in the pockets but we conceded three goals in set pieces and we have to improve that."

On Scott Carson, he said: "We are incredibly happy for him. He is an important player for us. He is a real leader and today was an exceptional day to let him play."

On breaking records and going on winning runs the manager concluded: "It is what we have done, four years together. When people say you don't win the Champions League the team is a failure, or the players are a failure or the manager is a failure, football is consistent. The important is you win the Premier League. You have to celebrate, one day train and come here but the spirit was there. Once we were down, come back, 3-2 come back but just learn come back as soon as possible and arrive in the best condition as possible in the final."