Manchester City vs Newcastle United. Prediction and Preview. Probable Lineups, Team News, Stats, and more

Manchester City FC will host Newcastle United FC in the Emirates FA Cup quarter-final match at the Etihad Stadium. The fixture will take place on Saturday, March 16, beginning at 23:00 IST.

Parimatch News will tell you everything you need to know ahead of the upcoming match.

Manchester City News & Current Form: 

Manchester City continue to fight for the championship title in the English Premier League, but now everything depends on more than just the Citizens themselves. They had a great opportunity to break into the championship leaders at the end of the last round, when they went to Anfield to face Liverpool FC, but they failed to beat the principal rival – 1:1. 

In the second half, Jurgen Klopp simply knocked his opponent to the ground. After the break, the Reds dominated the reigning champions so much that the visitors should be happy that the meeting ended in a draw, there was even a substitution of Kevin De Bruyne, who immediately had a verbal altercation with Pep Guardiola.

Main goalkeeper of Manchester City Ederson sustained an injury, due to thich he will be out for a month

But it’s still no cause for concern. After all, City played against one of the two main rivals in the fight for the title. Moreover, they always had a hard time with matches on the pitch of Liverpool, and the previous one was no exception.

Of course, Man City were expected to produce a more convincing performance, especially since the Reds were forced to play the reserve due to injury of the main players. On the other hand, Guardiola’s wards are still just as dangerous in attack both in positional offense and on set-pieces, besides, in the last 10 home games the club has scored 26 goals.

As a result of this match, the Blues slipped to third in the standings, but in the next round they will have another important battle against Arsenal FC, from which City are only one point behind, but the fourth Aston Villa FC are eight points behind them.

By the way, that draw extended the team’s unbeaten streak in the EPL to 21 games. Newcastle have two misfires in the last four meetings, so Guardiola’s players are morally in a better place than Howe’s guys.

The reigning FA Cup winner on the way to the quarterfinals passed three opponents. First, the team warmed up on their field with Huddersfield Town FC (5:0), and then away coped with Tottenham Hotspur FC (1:0) and Luton Town FC (6:2). It is worth noting that at the last stage of the tournament Erling Haaland distinguished himself with five goals, becoming the first since 1970 footballer who scored so many goals in one match of the FA Cup.

Only Jack Grealish missed Manchester City’s last match, so the team has every chance to field an optimal lineup for Saturday’s encounter. Moreover, the next meeting is not soon, so Guardiola does not need to save energy by using rotation. However, already in the match against the Reds, the main goalkeeper Ederson was injured and, according to doctors’ forecasts, he will miss three or even four weeks.

Newcastle United News & Current Form: 

For Newcastle this season is much harder than the previous one, when they managed to finish in the top-4, getting a coveted ticket to the UEFA Champions League, it should not be a surprise. The Black and Whites have been under a tremendous load, for which they were not ready, after all, they have not played in the strongest club tournament in Europe for a long time. 

Anthony Gordon of Newcastle United FC got called up for the national team of England

The situation was also complicated by numerous injuries, which made it difficult for Eddie Howe to form a lineup for each new game. Now all the difficulties are over, as the Magpies are out of the UCL, and the leading players have gradually recovered, but they still can not get above the tenth place in the standings. 

In the last round match Newcastle played against Chelsea FC on March 11 and lost with a score of 2:3. In this match Howe’s team played poorly in defense, especially in the second half.

Long-suspended Sandro Tonali, as well as Kieran Trippier, Nick Pope, Callum Wilson and Lewis Hall were unable to take part in that game. The latter due to loan terms just with the Aristocrats, so he will be available for the cup game with the Citizens.

But the real failure was the away game against Arsenal (1:4) at the end of February, it was the most real capitulation. However, the Magpies quickly recovered, winning the next matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (3:0). In general, in the last 11 matches, Howe’s wards suffered only three defeats.

As for the path to the quarterfinals, the team began the current draw with a confident victory over Sunderland AFC (3:0), after which they stopped Fulham FC (2:0). In the previous round, Newcastle finished Blackburn Rovers FC only in a penalty shootout. Last time the club played in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup in 2020, then they failed to pass Manchester City (0:2).

Manchester City form guide: W-W-W-W-W-D

Newcastle United form guide: W-D-L-W-W-L

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Manchester City vs Newcastle United Head-To-Head Record:

• August 19, 2023: Manchester City 1 – 0 Newcastle United (Premier League);
• September 27, 2023: Newcastle United 1 – 0 Manchester City (League Cup);
• January 13, 2024: Newcastle United 2 – 3 Manchester City (Premier League).

Manchester City vs Newcastle United Predicted XI:

Manchester City’s possible starting lineup (3-2-4-1): Ortega; Walker, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Bobb, Alvarez, Doku; Haaland.

Newcastle United’s possible starting lineup (4-3-3): Dubravka; Livramento, Schar, Botman, Burn; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Willock; Murphy, Isak, Almiron. 

Statistical preview of the match Manchester City vs Newcastle United:

• City’s First XI average age is 27.5 years, Newcastle’s First XI average age is 27.8 years.
• The total value of Manchester’s squad is 1.27 bln euros, while the total of United comes up to 637 mln euros.
• Simon Hooper has been appointed as the center referee. The referee has already served 24 games this season, showing an average of 4 Yellow Cards and also whistles 23 fouls per game. 
• Newcastle have differentiated themselves in 33 of 40 (82.%) matches of the 2023/24 season. 
• Newcastle have served at least four corners in 26 of 40 (65%) matches of the season. 
• Manchester City make an average of 7.29 shots on goal, while Newcastle have an average of 4.95.
• Man City’s average possession percentage is 66.45%, while Newcastle’s is 50.21%.
• Newcastle commit an average of 10.18 fouls per game, while Man City commit an average of 8.0.
• The average value of xG (expected goals) for the home team is 2.12 and for the visitors – 1.63.
• Man City, including all tournaments of the season, score an average of 2.4 goals, on their field Pep’s gang has played 21 matches, in each of which they scored. 
• Magpies in the season 2023/24 score on average 1.9 times per game.
• Manchester City have been conceding regularly of late – three occasions in the previous ten matches with an empty gate.  
• Manchester City serve an average of 8.1 corners in home matches and receive an average of just 1.4 yellow cards.
• Guardiola’s men have won sixteen of their last seventeen home games against Newcastle United.
• Manchester City are on a twenty-one match unbeaten run in all competitions, the last time they lost was back in early December 2023.

What has been said before the match:

Manchester City gaffer Pep Guardiola is determined to play at the Wembley stadium in the next round of the Cup:

“This season and previous ones since Eddie Howe was there and the people from Saudi Arabia took over, it’s always been tight games and we don’t expect anything different.”

“We have an incredible chance at home with our people. We need in home games the support of our fans like we had against United, I don’t remember that environment for a long time. Tomorrow isn’t an exception. We need it to reach the semi-final at Wembley again.”

Eddie Howe, coach of the Magpies, about unique style of play of the upcoming opponent:

“We’ll have a right go. We’ll attack it and try to progress to the next round. We can do it. I’ve got no doubt about that. Of course, we’ve got to get our game plan right, execute it to the highest level and we probably need a bit of luck along the way as well but we’ll go there in a positive mood and give it our very best.”

“I’ve watched all of City’s recent games in depth, which is always a very interesting thing because you understand how good they are when you watch them forensically. They’re an incredible football team and they have been so consistent. The way they play is unique to them and they have the best manager that’s, arguably, ever been an elite player.”

Manchester City vs Newcastle United Prediction:

In the last 12 face-to-face encounters at the official level, Newcastle managed to beat the Citizens only once (2 draws and 9 defeats). The only victory came in the English League Cup last September. And in the five previous games in this stretch, Newcastle did not find a net once. The Sky Blues are keeping their chances of winning not only the FA Cup this season, but also the Premier League and the Champions League. If the Citizens triumph in all these competitions, they will repeat their 2023 achievement of making the treble for the first time in history. Every trophy is important for Man City and Josep Guardiola is in the right to utilize his best players, with a pause for international matches ahead. Eddie Howe’s side are much inferior to the Mancunians in a handful of aspects, including away games record – in the league, the Magpies have picked up just 11 points from 14 games played at their opponents’ arenas, having scored an average of 1.8 goals and conceded 2.2. The Citizens, in contrast, have not lost at the Etihad Stadium once (10 wins, 4 draws), with an average of 2.4 goals scored per match and 0.85 conceded. 

We expect Newcastle United to put up a fight against Manchester City in an action-packed match, where the hosts will be able to continue their unbeaten home streak. 

Parimatch News staff prediction:

We say: Manchester City will not lose and the match total will be over 1.5 – Yes.

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