Manchester City host Newcastle United in a huge Premier League clash in the race for Champions League qualification.
Locked on 41 points apiece and a goal difference of +13, victory will lift either Man City or Newcastle up to fourth following Chelsea’s loss at Brighton.
Team News
Man City will be without Manuel Akanji after he suffered a muscle injury in their Champions League defeat to Real Madrid in midweek.
Jack Grealish (muscle) faces a late fitness test but Rodri remains absent with a knee injury.
Newcastle could be without Dan Burn as the defender faces a late fitness test, having suffered a groin injury in their FA Cup win at Birmingham last weekend.
Anthony Gordon (quad) could return but Sven Botman (knee), Harvey Barnes (thigh), Joelinton and Jamaal Lascelles (both knee) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Man City host Newcastle at Etihad Stadium on Saturday 15 February at 3pm GMT, untelevised live in the UK, live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Man City are unbeaten in their last 11 league meetings against Newcastle (W8, D3).
- Newcastle are winless in their last 20 visits to Man City dating back to August 2002 (D2, L18).
- Anthony Gordon has scored in each of Newcastle’s last two league meetings against Man City (D1, L1).
- Four of Erling Haaland’s 19 league goals this season have been scored from headers.
- Three of Newcastle’s five away league goals in 2025 have been scored by Alexander Isak (W2).
Prediction
After stuttering to a scrappy FA Cup win at Leyton Orient last weekend then losing to Real Madrid despite leading twice in midweek, Man City now need to produce a huge performance and be more defensively focused because their performances are just not consistent enough for what their quality is worth.
Newcastle though have had a week to prepare and the decision to rotate the squad at Birmingham will help them here with players like Lewis Hall and Isak fresh, as this is a huge game because if they stop their away rut in this fixture then a top-four finish is certainly achievable given their goalscoring form.
For me though, Newcastle must be clinical and try to bide their time early on because City’s defence is there for the taking if play patiently in carving them open, and if they do that then I can see them nicking a potentially season-defining win.
Prediction: Man City 1-2 Newcastle
Result: Man City 4-0 Newcastle
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