Manchester City has a prime opportunity to apply significant pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal by securing a victory against Newcastle United this Saturday evening. City’s fans were buoyed by Arsenal’s recent slip-up, as the Gunners were held to a 2-2 draw by Wolverhampton Wanderers despite leading by two goals. With a game in hand and only five points separating them from their title rivals, City aims to capitalize on this moment.
Arsenal won’t play until Sunday in the north London derby, making Saturday’s fixture crucial for City. Pep Guardiola’s squad has been in impressive form, winning six out of their last seven matches across competitions, including a two-legged triumph over Newcastle in the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
The Cityzens are also hoping to exploit any fatigue from Newcastle’s midweek travel to Azerbaijan, where they achieved a dominant 6-1 victory over Qarabağ in their Champions League playoff. While it was a sweet win, the travel could weigh heavily on their performance this weekend.
Historically, Newcastle has faced challenges against City, particularly at the Etihad Stadium, where they have suffered 12 consecutive defeats by an overwhelming aggregate score of 40-4. Their only goal in that sequence came during the Carabao Cup loss earlier this year – a sign of their ongoing struggles against their rivals.
Kick-off for the match is set for 8 p.m. GMT, 3 p.m. ET, at the Etihad Stadium, with Tom Bramall as the referee. City has a favorable record against Newcastle in recent encounters, winning three of their last five matches, with one draw and one win for Newcastle.
In terms of team news, City’s Erling Haaland has returned to fitness after missing the earlier fixture against Salford City due to injury, while Savinho is also available once again. Coach Guardiola will miss Joško Gvardiol and Mateo Kovačić due to injury issues.
For Newcastle, the absence of key player Bruno Guimarães is significant as he continues to recover and won’t return until after the March international break. Other important players, including Tino Livramento, Yoane Wissa, Emil Krafth, and Fabian Schär, are also sidelined. However, Sven Botman may be available for selection, providing some hope for manager Eddie Howe.
With City’s recent resurgence, buoyed by new signings like Marc Guéhi and Antoine Semenyo, they look to be in a strong position to close the gap to Arsenal. Despite Newcastle’s attacking capabilities, injuries within their squad pose a considerable challenge.
The match is shaping up to be a compelling encounter, with City expected to narrowly edge out Newcastle based on current form and squad depth. An estimated prediction is a 3-1 victory for Manchester City, marking a pivotal moment in the title race as they strive to dethrone the Gunners atop the league.