Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the English Premier League match.
Manchester City are dealing with injuries, but the quality of their available players allows for optimism ahead of their visit to St. James' Park. Newcastle United tarnished their reputation in the last round.
Newcastle United
Newcastle United suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season. It was a deserved loss as Fulham dominated the visitors for much of the game. Three goals were actually modest considering Emile Smith Rowe, who made it 2:0, also hit the woodwork. The team was particularly anonymous in the first half (0.11 xG), where Fulham's shot advantage reached 13(7)-5(2) and their xG was already 1.28. Only after the break did Newcastle United start to take actions, with Harvey Barnes scoring immediately. However, with the similar defence against Manchester City, they can expect to find several balls in their net.
Manchester City
As expected, in the match against Watford (2:1), Pep Guardiola rested all starters except Kyle Walker, who scraped a draw against Arsenal. Super sub John Stones, who ensured the draw, played the full match against Watford. By midweek, it became clear that the injury Rodri Hernández sustained against Arsenal was serious. The club confirmed that the Spaniard had damaged his cruciate knee ligaments and would require surgery. It is highly likely that he won't feature again this season. Kevin De Bruyne's appearance on the field this coming Saturday is also uncertain due to a hamstring issue. Mateo Kovačić and İlkay Gündoğan are expected to feature in midfield from the start.
Newcastle United vs Manchester City Prediction
Despite recent injuries, Manchester City are still stronger than the hosts, with the squad depth enabling them to secure victories even without their key players. It's worth noting that in their last three Premier League meetings, Manchester City have won, and their unbeaten streak against Newcastle United stands at 10 matches. Overall, they haven't lost in the Premier League since December 2023, which is why we are backing them to win.
