By Ian King
5 objectives are all that separate the edges
How shortly issues change. It’s solely been a few weeks since Manchester Metropolis had been BACK, however now they’re BACK IN CRISIS following a fortnight which has taken in getting their buttocks handed to them on a silver platter by Arsenal, making reasonably too onerous work of beating Leyton Orient within the Cup, and surrendering a successful lead within the closing jiffy of their Champions League match towards Actual Madrid.
It’s unclear whether or not shedding consecutive residence video games to Bournemouth and Fulham constitutes a CRISIS or not, however Newcastle received previous Birmingham within the FA Cup following a little bit of a scare and eased previous Arsenal within the Carabao Cup over two legs, successful each matches comfortably. They’re separated from Manchester Metropolis within the League by objectives scored solely, with the groups tied on each factors and purpose distinction.
Historical past
These two have met at Wembley within the finals of each the FA Cup and the League Cup, with Newcastle beating Metropolis to win the FA Cup in 1955 and Metropolis beating Newcastle to win the League Cup in 1976. Newcastle’s type within the fashionable type of this fixture has, nevertheless, been atrocious for therefore lengthy that it even predates the Abu Dhabi years. These two have met 39 occasions in all competitions for the reason that begin of 2006, and Newcastle have gained exactly three video games, two of which have come within the League Cup.
The sooner league fixture between the edges this season resulted in a 1-1 draw.
Key gamers
Alexander Isak has been Newcastle’s starboy thus far this season, with seventeen objectives. He was the Premier League’s participant of the month for December, having registered eight objectives and two assists all through that calendar month alone. Can Manchester Metropolis’s creaking defence address him? The 2 late objectives conceded on Tuesday night time definitely indicated that there are gaps that may be exploited. This might be a giant recreation for John Stones, who will doubtless have his work reduce out.
Crew Information
Jack Grealish and Manuel Akanji are contemporary damage doubts for Pep Guardiola. Each had been withdrawn in the course of the Actual Madrid match, whereas Oscar Bobb stays sidelined and Rodri gained’t be again any time quickly. Matheus Nunes was again on the bench on Wednesday and will return. It appears to be like like Anthony Gordon, Dan Burn, and Sven Botman, all of whom had been potential absentees for this match, shall be okay for Newcastle, although Joelinton, Harvey Barnes and Jamaal Lascelles all stay injured.
Prediction
With the 2 groups so tight within the desk and each having had patchy type of late, it is a troublesome match to name. The Newcastle who beat Arsenal so convincingly within the Carabao Cup (twice!) may simply beat the Manchester Metropolis who misplaced to Arsenal, however the Metropolis workforce who breezed previous Chelsea simply three weeks in the past may simply do the identical to the Newcastle workforce who forgot that they needed to play a second half towards Fulham. Defensive wobbliness and mercurial attacking expertise on each groups hints at one thing like a 2-2 draw.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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