Newcastle United aim for elusive win vs. Manchester City

Newcastle United will try to get back in the win column against visiting Manchester City when the sides meet on Saturday.

Newcastle endured a pair of close league defeats to the four-time repeat champions last season.

The Magpies defeated a heavily rotated Cityzens side in a League Cup third-round clash last September. But you have to go back to 2019 to find Newcastle's most recent league win in the series, with their two such meetings serving as an example of the difference between "good" and "great."

In City's 3-2 win at St. James' Park on Jan. 13, the Magpies stormed to a 2-1 halftime lead through goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon. They conceded two late goals however, including a stunningly composed winner from Oscar Bobb in second-half stoppage time.

In City's 1-0 home triumph on Aug. 19, 2023, they got a 31st-minute lead through Julian Alvarez.

"We have had some really good games against them at home, some nearly moments for us," Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said. "We felt we did a lot right but did not get the result last season. I think it shows that against that type of opposition, the quality that Manchester City possess, you have to be on it for every minute."

The timing may be better this time for Newcastle (3-1-1, 10 points), who are facing City (4-0-1, 13 points) fresh off the news that the standout midfielder Rodri had season-ending ACL surgery.

Pep Guardiola's side has survived without Rodri in three of its five league games so far. But the Cityzens lost three of the four league matches they played without him last season, against no defeats across his 34 appearances.

"What he gives us we don't have a similar player," Guardiola said. "But the other players all together can replace what Rodri has given us since he arrived. We have to do it as a team and find a way to play during a lot of months without an important player."

Kevin De Bruyne (thigh) also won't be available for City, though Guardiola said he potentially could return in its final game before the October international break. He also missed last weekend's 2-2 home draw to Arsenal.

And while Erling Haaland has been sensational, scoring 10 league goals so far, no one else has multiples in the league yet.

Newcastle also could be without Isak (toe), with Howe characterizing the striker as doubtful after missing training this week.

--Field Level Media