Premier League: Manchester City vs Newcastle United match preview

A look ahead to this weekend’s Premier League fixture at the Etihad Stadium

Yaya Toure of Manchester City celebrates the opening goal (GETTY IMAGES)

Manuel Pellegrini’s side have won just two of their six league games since the turn of the year, losing valuable ground on Chelsea in the title race; they’re now seven points behind. They’ve also exited the FA Cup after a shock defeat to Middlesbrough.

Some may call it a crisis, and in times of crisis you need a hero. Coincidence maybe then that Yaya Toure returned this week, alongside Ivory Coast teammate Wilfried Bony, fresh from glory at the African Cup of Nations.

Since Alan Pardew left the club, Newcastle have only won one of their six league games, albeit an emphatic 3-0 win at Hull. John Carver needs to do something to turn it around, and fast as three of their next five games are against teams in the top five, and losing can soon become a habit.

The Magpies have already won at the Etihad this season with a 2-0 victory in the League Cup, but it is unlikely there will be any upsets on Saturday though as City have won all of the pairs last ten meetings.

KICK-OFF: Saturday, 5.30pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS…

Manchester City 0 Newcastle United 2 (Aarons, Ameobi), Capital One Cup fourth-round, October 2014

Newcastle United 0 Manchester City 2 (Silva, Aguero), Premier League, August 2014

Newcastle United 0 Manchester City 2 (Dzeko, Negredo), Premier League, January 2014

STATS…

Yaya Toure scored in each of the last three league games he played before departing for the African Cup of Nations.

City haven’t conceded in their last four league games against Newcastle, scoring 12 in the process.

City have the highest average possession in the league with 60%.

Man City have scored the most goals in the last 15 minutes of matches this season (13).

Newcastle have only won once in 13 attempts at the Etihad.

Papiss Cisse has scored half of his ten goals this season away from home.

ODDS…

Manchester City to win: 1.2

Newcastle to win: 13

Draw: 6.25

CLASSIC MATCH…

Manchester City 3 Newcastle United 3

In the title run-in of 1995/96 Faustino Asprilla was infamously blamed for Newcastle losing the title to Manchester United after having a 12-point lead when he arrived on Tyneside. This six-goal thriller was one of the games where Asprilla’s side dropped points, and despite him scoring the Magpies second equaliser, he hit the headlines for a head-butt on City’s Keith Curle.

TV: Live on Sky Sports 1 at 5.30pm; highlights on Match of the Day, BBC One at 10.25pm