Game On! Manchester City v Newcastle

Game On at The Etihad
Game On at The Etihad
Newcastle United return to Premier League action this evening by visiting the home of Manchester City.

It’s a game of chalk and cheese when it comes to money spent this summer. City have splashed in the region of £90 million on incoming transfers over the summer whilst United’s only outlay thus far is a £2 million loan fee for Loic Remy.

However, trying to be optimistic here, football is simple. It’s a game of eleven men against eleven and it’s not always the overwhelming favourite who comes out on top. Can United bridge the gap in financial muscle for 90 minutes this evening? Or will be a case of what we have become accustomed to whenever we meet up with Man City these days?

For more background regarding the match please feel free to have a look at my match preview which is linked at the bottom of this article. It features news of injuries for both sides, a history of the fixture, some random thoughts and some (not so) fun stats.

Team news is detailed in full below although I do apologise for the delay in getting it to you. My internet has decided to play silly buggers at the wrong time so I’ve had to use my phone as a WiFi network to get internet juice running through my laptop. Between you and me though, my internet stopped working shortly after I started hacking my bedroom carpet up with a stanley knife blade so the two may well be linked…

Enough about me though. A disappointing close season it has been but at last we have regular football to watch again. The big questions is will we be able to sit and watch it for the whole 90 minutes?

Howay the lads!

Manchester City: Joe Hart; Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany, Joleon Lescott, Gael Clichy; Jesus Navas, Fernandinho, Yaya Toure, David Silva; Edin Dzeko, Sergio Aguero

Subs: Costel Pantilimon, Aleksandar Kolarov, Javi Garcia, Jack Rodwell, James Milner, Samir Nasri, Alvaro Negredo

Newcastle: Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa; Cheick Tiote, Jonas Gutierrez; Hatem Ben Arfa, Moussa Sissoko, Yoan Gouffran; Papiss Cisse

Subs: Rob Elliot, Paul Dummett, Vurnon Anita, Sylvain Marveaux, Gabriel Obertan, Sammy Ameobi, Shola Ameobi

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

486 thoughts on “Game On! Manchester City v Newcastle

  1. When we first started to court Debuchy I warned that he was a liability at full back. His performances for France at the Euros showed he was inept at defending and I posted at the end of the Euros that he had been directly responsible for all but one of the goals conceded by France in the tournament.
    Unfortunately , he had scored against England in the first game and not many of our supporters could see past that.
    If we played with a flat back three and two attacking wing backs then yes, Debuchy would probably excel in the wingback position. We will never know.

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  2. Raffo – Probably why they are happy to get rid. I heard he suffered with a cocaine addiction.

    Can anyone answer why people think Poyet will be any better?

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  3. I dont think Poyet will be any better. Certainly not as a role model given he got sacked from Brighton.

    For me, Rosicky is just another Obertan waiting to happen. A truly awful player in exchange for one of our best. He has some good days, but is always injured now. What good is he to us? I wouldve had the OX but hes crocked now, really cant think of anyone in the Arsenal squad who I would want, Wilshere is class but would never come and is injury prone too.

    I want someone like De Boer as he is showing style and class at Ajax, and we need to do something.

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  4. from http://www.nufc.com

    ‘Less than two weeks before the transfer window closes – and boosted by an influx of funds from the expected sale of Yohan Cabaye – we understand that NUFC officials are currently overseas, concluding permanent deals to sign two players. More as we get it… ‘

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  5. M – do Nufc.com get anything right in this regard? Not known them as ITK?

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  6. I’m not particularly a Poyet fan but honestly think he’d be the best we could get. I said in the last few games of last season, best case would be Poyet, worst case (or expected case) Kinnear.

    Not surprised by sacking noises after the match, although we were never even going to get a point so the result itself doesn’t matter. Performance does but with Staylor out of the side maybe we can see how we do for the next three games. If it’s bad, sack him and just bring in kinnear and maybe we’ll survive by a miracle 😀

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  7. Liam…Probably as “ITK” as the next man I guess, it’s all a lottery really. I find out things that come from people within the club but usually just email a couple of the lads on here cos if you post it you more often than not end up looking daft(and I don’t need any help in that dept 😆 ) I don’t doubt that the info I get is true or at least the person telling me believes it to be true at the time but things can change so quickly 90% of the time it doesn’t happen.
    I went to school with a lad who’s high up(ish) within the club but he rarely tells me **** all as he says only 3 possibly 4 people at the top of the club ever know what’s going on and even then they can be positive something is going through only for something to go awry at the last moment,so he says it just makes him look like a bullshitter if he passes on info.
    So in short it’s generally “in the know”(**** all) though it can be good to speculate and gossip :mrgreen:

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  8. So, the cat is out of the bag! There never has been an intention to recruit players this summer unless members of the present squad are sold to raise funds. How niave some of you have been.
    Not me though 😉 😉
    Has the “FOOL’ been sacked yet ❓

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  9. i have said many times jabba is well known as a 48hr man the imfo can be spot on then its changes so would not rubbish any imfo anyone might have,so could be right then its all wrong 🙁

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  10. Richie – couldnt agree more. Some of me jounro pals stuff ends up being right but most he even admits is planted by agents

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  11. Tony – more convinced its not the capital outlay but rather salaries which mean we need to sell to buy

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  12. Richie you’re ITK? Set up a twitter and keep me updated pal, username like RichieKilla09 perhaps? 😀

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  13. .com don’t put ***** on, They broke the news last year that Anita was at SJP way before lee ryder and co had a clue.

    Fernandes and Gomis??

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  14. Marcelo Bielsa would be a great manager to get. Though don’t think he would want to come here.

    Looking forward to this “more offensive team” in our next two home games.

    Cisse needs to start playing at a much better level. His awful performance has went unnoticed due to debuchy slightly bettering him on the ***** scale. but he has looked really poor for ages now and his few last minute goals have covered of the cracks.

    Will Santon be back for the next game? If not I feel a little happier with Dummet starting after his good show yesterday. Its kinda funny but Krul should feel very happy with his performance even after conceding 4 goals.

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  15. Newkie…Err Twatter? no thanks!!…and my point was there isn’t really an in the know 😉

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  16. Hope you guys are right about that site not talking out their arses.

    Get some positive momentum if we get them signed before the weekend.

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  17. @Richie

    If you are not going to get a twitter to keep all of us itk, then I expect hand written letters to all who request one (perfumed kisses on mine please :P)

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  18. I was expecting us to lose badly last night. I wonder if we could get Milner and Sinclaire in for the Cabaye sale ? Would be happy to see more english players at the club. Try and offer Jonas on the free to clubs to make more funds on wages. We need good players now and it makes me mad that Kinnear has done nothing at all. Our midfield is very weak at the moment. Obertan, Jonas, Abied, Almo, Toite, Gosling, very poor players imo. Ameobi brothers not good enough for a premiership side. Why on gods earth did we appoint Mclauren as DOF or manager. We have a lot of garbage at this club.

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  19. Cisse is just too old to improve his first touch now so we just need him to start scoring wonder goals otherwise we’re back to carrying him in the side like we did for half of last year. Otherwise try Goof up front, he can at least run with a ball at his feet without balooning it to an opposition player (sissoko might learn a thing or two about that, he still has a few years to learn how to move the ball with his feet without passing to the opposition centre backs every time he gallops off 😕 )

    Richie, what ***** man, don’t you know Troy and have forseen everything for the last four years at least? 😉

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  20. Yeah but that’s because you guys are like Vicky Pollard Newkie 😀

    Yer but… no but… lol

    I miss B&B is he still banned?

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  21. Santi-that was meant to say Troy and BB^. Surprised he hasn’t ventured back though, don’t think he’s banned anymore

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  22. M says:
    August 20, 2013 at 12:23
    LST – they tend not to post speculation
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    This.

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  23. Santii… It’s Troy you need to speak to for the perfumed letters….cough cough, so I hear 😆
    Bielsa was mentioned the other day(by Preman I think) as far as I know he’s still out of work too so no compo involved.

    CC…Gomis would be my guess too.

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  24. roy cropper says:
    August 20, 2013 at 11:20
    rogers/moyes/avb & lambert’s replies to recent bids for their players..
    NOT FOR SALE!
    pardew’s – not acceptable!
    meaning – offer a few more quid & he’s all yours.
    i’d hate to be in the trenches with – jelly spine – the white flag would be up in a shot.
    as raffo points out – we are going nowhere fast with him as manager
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    Normally I have no problems selling players so long as we get above market rate for them and at least a good portion of the funds are used on the squad. But in this case I agree with yoyu do the the amount of the bid and the manner it was made. As i said yesterday, I wouldn’t sell Cabaye to Arsenal for 100M at this point. He can sulk at home and get fined for every missed match until we find another club willing to pay over the odds for him.

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  25. Bielsa…not convinced, especially about getting us out of trouble if we find ourselves in it in a few months- but don’t care too much now, anyone but kinnear ta.

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  26. Newkie… Doubt he’d be my first choice overall but out of the ones who currently aren’t working he’d probably be up there …however, Pard’s is here for now at least and I can’t see him going anytime soon so discussing replacements is a bit of a moot point 😕

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  27. RAFFO

    ‘I think we should try and get De Boer and Bergkamp from Ajax.’

    Thats so cute that you still think Mike would do that for us

    so sweet 😛

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  28. @DIFSB

    Why would De Boer leave Ajax to come to us Ajax are a far bigger club than us and its his favourite team. Champions League almost every year with a team brimming with world class youngsters

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  29. Read the other day that Ash is now worth 3.5 billion. Double what he had when he bought us. Love to know what exactly he wants with us?
    Surely it can’t just be penny pinching mediocrity. Why? What’s his point?
    Surely he realises that even mediocrity is beyond Pardew and Kinnear.

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  30. I just want to let the fan’s know we have rejected a bid of 10 million from Arsenal. If they want Cabaye they will have to double it. I am busy helping Alan today because we desperately need a victory against West ham on saturday. He came into my office and started crying on my shoulder because of the defeat to Manchester city. He is afraid of losing his job. I told him, ” The players and 52,000 turn up because they love your style of football”.

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  31. I dont for one second think that Mike would show that type of ambition, but it is my wish for Pardew to be relieved of his duties and for us to go for someone like De Boer. I think the challenge in the EPL, like Laudrupp, may well appeal. Yes Ajax are in the champs league but also the Eredivise isnt the best in the world. Just a dream thats all. much rather that than poyet

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  32. Richie- no comparison. It’s better by far. They are showing all 380 Prem matches live this year and in high definition over 8 different channels- all without having to pay extra for it. My buddy opened his pub at 9:30 a.m. saturday and had matches going on 6 different TVs. A group of about 30 showed up. I was impressed with the quality of the pre and post match shows as well and they added a MOTD type program. Never thought I’d see the day we’d get this kind of coverage.
    .
    Also, the coverage of other leagues has improved as well, though I pay a bit extra for those channels. I plan to watch a bit more Serie A and Bundesliga.

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/20130814/nbc-sports-espn-fox-soccer-epl-tv-coverage/?sct=sc_wr_a3

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  33. Ashley is trying his best to make Newcastle United a world class team. It takes time and hard work. I’m the best there is and don’t you forget it. Soon your all be calling me King Joe.

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  34. MDS…Cheers for the link, it looks good, no place for Warren Barton?…I’ve just got a similar(ish) sort of deal with AL Jazeera, all prem games in HD and all the major leagues (bar Bundesliga 😥 ) including Oz, U.S, Dutch, French, Italian etc and Europa and Champions League plus The Championship, League one and most European domestic cups(incl German)…wor lass I sick already :mrgreen:

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  35. The trouble with french players is they surrender at the first sign of trouble. Newcastle is full of them

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  36. Santii- just speculation on my part but there were a lot of reports that we inquired about him last week and we’ve been linked with him before which leads me to believe he’s one that Carr has been watching for awhile. Now that we may have a bit of money, who knows? He seems to fit the mold of players the club looks at…

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  37. Richie- that’s good coverage you got there. I think the Aussies have a similar deal down there way.

    Unfortunately Barton is still with Fox and is now limited to studio work for the US National team matches, CL and FA Cup. Was hoping he’d go over to NBC.

    Yeah my girl isn’t thrilled with me either…was on my 5th pint by 11am and then decided to stick around for the ManU match which was necessarily followed by a 3 hour nap. Saturdays have just gotten very unproductive for me…

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  38. This will sound slightly strange, upto you whether you believe it. I have a friend who works as cabin crew on a luxury yacht somewhere in the med, she’s always jumping from ship to ship and looked after al pacino and his entourage a few months back. She’s just contacted me and said Ashley has chartered their yacht for the next month and Pardew flew out last night for a meeting, they are currently docked in St Tropez. She also added that Ashley is a complete **** and apparently Pardew is really nice. Whatever’s going on I can assure you Pardew is not in Newcastle. I know it sounds like **** and I’d question it myself but I can assure you its true. make of it what you will

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  39. I get Al Jazeera here in Dubai. All prem games French, etc … Same as Richie. 70aed per month which is about 15 quid. Way better than sky. Unless I’m watching **** like I was last night. 🙁

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  40. Richie-fair enough mate, I kna what you mean. I can’t see it being anyone but kinnear or poyet myself, I’d have poyet over those two but would still hold fire on him unless Pards really loses it.

    Makes me laugh all those who say Ash isn’t to blame, he made hoots go without an assistant until we had a stuffing and hired Pardew in the first place ffs 😕 Why anyone expects anyone of calibre to come in, I just don’t know.

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  41. MDS…Aye the wife thought she was going to get some respite today then up popped the Champions League qualifiers…I’ll give her Thursday off though 😛

    Dubai…Aye, My cards paid for until next may, then I think they bring in new ones for the World Cup and I’ve also heard Al Jazeera might be bringing in cards that are paired with the receiver so I may have to buy another receiver too but it’s well worth it.

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  42. Evans ,I wouldn’t dispute that as SSN have been reporting a delegation from Toon are in France to meet with Cabayes reps about the Arsenal bids .What with NUFC.COM saying we are abroad getting a couple in ,it kinda makes sense ,especially the Ashley is a **** bit 😉

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  43. Newkie…You could get Al Jaz in UK but they aren’t broadcasting the Premier League on the satellite that reached there now which I guess was part of the deal.

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  44. Richie ,That’s a good deal ,my god we pay through the nose in the uk 👿 .

    Will we be able to get any links up on Saturday or has that ban kicked in now 😕

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  45. Kim …True but you can understand why the Premier League don’t want all matches shown live in UK I guess but Sky Sports is just expensive as **** regardless. It’s all about the money money money 👿

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  46. Richie-yeah that kinda sucks 😕

    Kim-there will always be some streams avaliable, just gotta root them out 😉

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  47. Sorry haven’t read all the recent posts but NUFC.com saying 2 players are on their way. I hope they are right. A striker and a winger are a must. And we must get away from Cisse as lone front man. He has no hope up there by himself. He doesn’t have the qualities to do that job. He has been sadly exposed by a number of defenses going back to last season. Needs a clear path to goal and has probably lost a lot of confidence by now.

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  48. To those who say we have no defense I would say calm down, that was Man City at home under Pellegrini. Krul was great, Colo will be fine as will either Dummett or Haidara. Debuchy will recover but I would rather see Mbiwa play there and put Willo back in the middle for now. West Ham is not Man City. But we do desperately need changes up front. We need an attack period. Pardew must recognize that or we are in deep trouble.

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  49. Cabaye must really want out to do what he has done. Can’t pull himself together to play the game? Pathetic. Come off it, you’re supposed to be a professional footballer Cabaye. Suck it up boy. You’ve lost any credibility you had with the supporters. Even Rooney managed to play while sulking.

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  50. G2 ,spot on@444, I am cheesed off good and proper with Cabaye, Fair enough he wants away to Arsenal but he really let us down last night and he is paid handsomely by Newcastle and given idol status by a lot of fans who frankly deserve a much more professional attitude than that. As you pointed out Rooney has got on with it and it’s the least we should expect ,he may or may not of had much impact last night but we’ll never know now.

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  51. G2 @444 i agree with you mate,but in saying that would you risk injury if you had a chance to get away from this circus as i said before at this point in time i would not blame any player wanting to leave,they must have been fed some bullshit to sign in the first place,as we are fed from this lot

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  52. KIM aye i hope so to mate,he wants to go so nowt we can do,i see Remy will not be ready for w/ham but “may”make fulham so guess we will get the same **** again 🙁

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  53. Some of you can’t see the woods for the trees!
    Pathetic of the FOOL to allow Cabaye to miss the game, do you think Everton will stop playing both Fellani and Baines just because Manure have made a derisory bid for them. I think not.
    The FOOL has been pimping Cabaye all summer and promoting offers.
    He is as guilty as Ashley and JFK.
    GET RID OF THE FOOL!!!!

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