Last weekend’s FA Cup victory gave Newcastle our first win against bitter rivals Sunderland since 2011.
Now, attentions turn back to the Premier League as we welcome treble-winning Man City to St James’ Park. While the derby displayed the gulf between where the club were and where we are now, on paper the match against City highlights the gulf between where we are now and where the ownership would ultimately like to be.
Talk about Financial Fair Play has dominated the pre-match build up with CEO Darren Eales issuing a sobering reminder of how much the regulations are restricting the club’s buying power.
Injury has also once again struck the first team squad with Eddie Howe confirming midfield enforcer Joelinton would be out for a “minimum of six weeks” after being withdrawn from the derby early in the second half.
“He has a problem with his tendon in his quad,” Howe said. “He is very disappointed, he wants to play and do well; we have had to try and pick him up. He is our midfield driving force, it is a big blow”.
We controlled the game against Sunderland and established a proper foothold on the game after around 15 minutes. Bruno’s ability to get on the ball, registering 106 touches, helped unlock Sunderland’s shaky defence. However, it is a completely different proposition against a City side looking to achieve a fourth straight Premier League title.
Howe understands that we face “a lot of different challenges” against City but is confident his side can compete. “We have prepared well, so hopefully that reflects in what we do”.
“The two games against them this season have been really interesting. Tactically, I think you learn a lot from every game you play against teams like Manchester City and Liverpool. It was a tight game at the Etihad, I thought we were in the game. The Carabao Cup game I think was a very different game, still we delivered what we wanted to do at a very high level”.
We beat City 1-0 in the Carabao Cup fixture with standout defensive performances from Jamaal Lascelles and Paul Dummett. Following our recent struggle in the league, Howe has promised a “much more Newcastle like performance” from his Mags after enjoying more time between matches and a return to a normal training schedule at the start of 2024.
Team news
Joelinton is out for at least six weeks and joins an injury list featuring Callum Wilson, Elliot Anderson, Joe Willock, Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy, Nick Pope, Matt Targett, and Javier Manquillo. Sandro Tonali is still suspended.
Kevin De Bruyne is back for City, but Erling Haaland has been ruled out by Pep Guardiola. Jack Grealish has had sickness this week but could feature.
Predicted XI: Dubravka – Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn – Longstaff, Bruno, Miley – Almiron, Isak, Gordon.
The main debate will be whether Howe will stick with Dan Burn in left back or bring in Tino Livramento who has really impressed and made his mark when filling in on the left. While social media will cry out for Tino, I think Howe will stick with his preferred back four and start Burn. Elsewhere, it seems pretty certain Lewis Miley will replaced the injured Joelinton.
Prediction: Newcastle 1 – 1 Man City
City have stuttered in the league this season and hopefully we will have caught them before they go on their annual monster unbeaten run to their inevitable title.
We have always seemed to find a result when the squad gets questioned and what better advertisement to players looking to join the club than holding the Champions?
Beating Sunderland has given us a lot of confidence and though you can’t win games on confidence alone, it goes a long way.
VAMOS!
I don’t really expect us to get anything from this one. But we are at home so anything is possible. My heart says we can scrape a win. My head says we will get stuffed. I’ll go with my heart and say a 2-1 win for us.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Tough ask today against one of, if not the, top team in the world.
A controlled aggressive approach with a bit of fluency as the toon look to regain some cohesion will be good to see
In terms of individuals the toon will miss joelinton so really need their stars to begin to shine consistently.
Isak looks a little fitter and botman seems to be easing back to decent form. I’m really hoping guimaraes steps up today.
It’s fun watching him pump up fans and all good and well shining against championship or lower level PL teams.
Can he put the team on his back and justify his hype against the elite teams is still a question for me.
HTL
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Team out and I hate to sound negative but Burns a worry & our midfield look light physically.
I know his options are massively limited & even more so with Big Joe out.
Gonna need everyone on it today I reckon 🤞🏼.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Is Doku on the Burn’s side? He will leave Burn for dead. Our bench is awful. No attacking players other than Ritchie and Parkinson. This will be a long night.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Gilly he usually plays Trips side but Pep might switch them – if not it’ll only be Foden 🤦🏼♂️😂
Sharpy17(Quote)
Have to say, don’t get the point of 2 keepers in the bench like – I’d rather see one of our young forwards brought in – seems a waste of a sub & waste of a development opportunity
Sharpy17(Quote)
HWTL
Blimey how late was that flag raised !
kimtoon(Quote)
christ Miggy should of shot there
kimtoon(Quote)
What a wasted opportunity 😡😡😡. Why didn’t Gordon blast it
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Oh my City are scary as hell when they get forward
kimtoon(Quote)
We have to be much more clinical when presented with chances.
kimtoon(Quote)
****, gonna be a long game now
kimtoon(Quote)
Frustrating as that was a foul on Gordon and not a yellow for guimaraes but the goals been coming
Oh and they’ve lost their discipline so need to calm down and keep it controlled
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
ffs, another good chance not taken
kimtoon(Quote)
Isakkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
kimtoon(Quote)
Gordonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
What a brilliant goal
kimtoon(Quote)
Oh my word what a pair of goals. Toon at their rampant best and an outstanding pair of finishes
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Well that turned around quickly! What a pair of stunning goals. Should’ve had another at least too if Isak had chipped the goalie. Amazing stuff!
But, but … City look so good going forward. We need to be super good defensively now. And Bruno needs to be very careful.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
And their goal should not have stood. Definitely a foul on Gordon in build up.
Bruno needs to calm down. Lucky not to have a second yellow
Gilly Toon(Quote)
My god that’s 3 of the best finishes I’ve seen & all in 1 half hour 🫢.
Isak is just a different league to be fair – what a player when running in behind man 🤯.
Gordon has been first class too!!.
Miley playing really well in the midfield & Trippier defensively outstanding.
THE REFEREE WANTS PUTTING DOWN THOUGH!!!! 😡😡😡
Sharpy17(Quote)
Breathless throughout and chaotic at times which is how the toon got on top
Schar was awesome on that build up to isaks outstanding goal and what an assist for guimaraes
Can see one or both of guimaraes and Rodrigo walking
Mancity playing high risk/reward with their full backs high as both Gordon and Almiron have them for pace
How long till we see de bruyne and grealish but hey the toon have umm .. err
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
They’re very deep and no attacking threat.
Isak looks out on his feet. It’s far from ideal but a change is needed . This has psg written all over it.
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Well that’s ****, we have to stop conceding in the last minutes of games, could of had a precious point there.And peed off the Rodrigo got motd, horrible runt.
kimtoon(Quote)
Well that’s just heartbreaking!!
Thought Trippier & Dubravka were outstanding tonight – didn’t deserve that at all!!,
So proud of our players again – but can’t lie, I’m sick of being on the wrong end of games like these.
Just waiting for it to happen in that second half.
Sharpy17(Quote)
There’s the difference between FFP though innit 🤷🏼♂️.
Thought the officials were an absolute joke as well – this has to stop!!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Aah bollocks.
Mancity we’re dead impressive in strangling that 2nd half and the toon offered nothing going forward 2nd half.
Decent enough performance and disappointing to lose at the death but mancity always looked likely.
Defence wavered from good to hanging on and did inspire a bit of belief they’ll get it right going forward
Mancity tho .. f’k me what a team
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
What a kick in the nuts. There in a nutshell is what 115 breaches of FFP can get you. The difference was they had DeBruyne and a host of super stars to bring on and we had nobody. We played amazing in that first half.
Absolutely gutted that we couldn’t hold on. Poor officiating too.
That’s us down to 10th and likely 12th or 13th after next week.
Gilly Toon(Quote)