Man City vs Newcastle Preview: Team News & Prediction

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For a second time this month, Manchester City host Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium. This time, the Premier League title race is the headline for the clash.

Kick-off date/time: 21 February 2026 at 8:00 pm

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / USA – NBC

How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / USA – Peacock

Man City preview: In their own hands

As a result of Arsenal dropping points against Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers since Manchester City last played, the hosts now sit five points behind the league leading Gunners with a game-in-hand and their meeting at the Etihad still to come.

City have the title race back in their own hands, somehow, despite their deficiencies throughout this campaign. The hosts did manage to make it six wins in their last seven matches last week with a 2-0 defeat of Salford City in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Newcastle preview: Finding form

Newcastle United have been out of form throughout the last couple of months but the Magpies appear to have worked things out a bit in the last ten days, with three successive victories on the road.

Having beaten Tottenham Hotspur away from home in the Premier League, United then won away at Aston Villa in the FA Cup before a 6-1 demolition of Qarabag in Azerbaijan in the knockout playoff round of the UEFA Champions League in midweek.

Man City team news: Haaland fit

When asked whether or not Erling Haaland would be fit for this weekend, Pep Guardiola emphatically nodded and so the Norwegian will lead the line against Newcastle on Saturday night.

It has also been confirmed that Savinho is ready to go but his fellow winger, Belgium international Jeremy Doku, remains an absentee for the hosts.

Predicted XI (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Silva, Rodri, O’Reilly; Semenyo, Haaland, Cherki

Unavailable: Gvardiol (Injured), Kovacic (Injured), Doku (Injured)

Questionable: Alleyne (Injured)

Newcastle team news: Fatigue could play a part

Eddie Howe has been dealing with an injury crisis throughout the campaign and the small Newcastle squad is fresh off the back of an extremely long journey to Azerbaijan.

It is expected that both Lewis Miley and Yoane Wissa will be sidelined once again but Joelinton returned in midweek and Sven Botman could also be available.

Predicted XI (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Willock, Tonali, Joelinton Murphy, Woltemade, Gordon

Unavailable: Schar (Injured), Livramento (Injured), Krafth (Injured), Guimaraes (Injured)

Questionable: Botman (Injured), Miley (Injured), Wissa (Injured)

Man City vs Newcastle prediction

The longest trip that any English side has ever been on in the UEFA Champions League is likely to take its toll on an already short and seemingly fatigued Newcastle side, despite the fact they should now have some newfound confidence and belief. City defeated the visitors 3-1 in the EFL Cup earlier this month and a similar outcome appears most likely here.

Man City vs Newcastle tip: Man City to win & both teams to score