The Telegraph's Luke Edwards says Saturday's defeat by Manchester City “harshly showed how big the gap is” between Pep Guardiola’s side and Newcastle.
Despite making 10 changes and going 1-0 down early, City recovered well to comfortably progress and end Eddie Howe's side's dream of returning to Wembley through the FA Cup – having also knocked the holders out of the Carabao Cup last month.
"It was ominous really," Edwards told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.
"Newcastle were very good for 20 minutes, half an hour, got the lead, and then the fatigue caught up with them.
"Man City made 10 changes and you just wouldn't have known. They were so good. They were the best team I've seen this season in the way they kept the ball, manipulated Newcastle, made them run and chase the ball.
"It's what Barcelona used to do in their pomp to tire teams out.
"It was a sobering reality check for Newcastle because there's been some rather overexcited talk emanating from the boardroom from the Saudi Arabian owners and the CEO about being in the conversation about being one of the best clubs in the world and to be competing for the top domestic and European honours by 2030.
"That's four years away.
"City have played Newcastle five times this season, beaten them four times and knocked them out of both cup competitions. They are the standard-bearers for what makes an elite club in this country and Europe and Newcastle are way off it.
"Saturday night harshly showed how big that gap is. They have done brilliantly under Eddie Howe and closed that gap, gone from relegation battles to the Champions League, but to make that leap is huge and I don't think they do it in four years.
"It's not just this game in isolation, it's what happened in the Carabao Cup semi-final too.
"Nine or 10, but certainly nine, of City's heavily-rotated second string would get into Newcastle's starting XI. I don't see how they close that gap in four years."
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