FA Cup: Manchester City vs Newcastle Live
Preview: Manchester City vs Newcastle
The Manchester City vs Newcastle FA Cup game is scheduled on Saturday at 5:30pm at the Etihad Stadium. Manchester City’s Erling Haaland scored five goals in their 6-2 victory over Luton Town in the previous round, while Newcastle needed penalties to defeat Blackburn Rovers, a Championship team.
Manchester City, the current FA Cup champions, enjoyed a rare break midweek following a thrilling 1-1 draw against Liverpool in the Premier League. Pep Guardiola’s team is still in contention for multiple trophies as they aim for a second consecutive treble, with the FA Cup being a key target. City’s impressive 21-match unbeaten streak and nine-game winning run in the FA Cup should give them confidence against the magpies. Guardiola’s side has been dominant in the FA Cup, especially against lower-ranked teams, with their last defeat to a non-‘big six’ team being against Wigan in 2018. Wigan was also the team that knocked them out in the quarter-finals in the 2013/14 season.
Newcastle will be highly motivated when they visit the Etihad Stadium, as they are looking to salvage some silverware from this season after suffering their 12th Premier League defeat. Their only remaining chance is the FA Cup. Eddie Howe’s team has already won three away matches to reach the quarter-finals, but they were eliminated by Man City the last time they reached this stage in 2019/20.
Head-to-head
Newcastle has struggled in recent head-to-head matches, with only one win in their last 12 meetings with Man City. They have also lost their last nine visits to the Etihad since 2014, which could further delay their 19-year wait to reach the semi-finals of this competition.
Prediction
Considering Man City’s remarkable 37-game undefeated streak at home, their impressive performance in the FA Cup, and their strong history of winning against Newcastle, it seems unlikely that they will not secure a victory on Saturday. While Newcastle has shown some promise by defeating City in the EFL Cup and putting up a good fight in a 1-0 Premier League loss earlier in the season, it is expected that Guardiola’s team will manage to break through their defense and advance to the semi-finals.
