Newcastle United meet Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend. Always a fun one.
The November international break has curtailed and now it’s domestic action right through until March. By that stage, so much could have happened: the Magpies may have defended their Carabao Cup title and made headway in the Premier League to press for Champions League qualification, for example.
But the upswing in form needs to start now. United have been out of sorts this season, and languish in 14th place. Still strong at St. James’ Park, this stands as a fantastic chance to underpin Eddie Howe’s fifth chapter on Tyneside with a statement victory that tells of durability and a will to win which is as fervent as ever.
24/25
Premier League (A)
4-0 loss
24/25
Premier League (H)
1-1 draw
23/24
FA Cup
2-0 loss
23/24
Premier League (H)
3-2 loss
23/24
Carabao Cup (H)
1-0 win
23/24
Premier League (A)
1-0 loss
And Newcastle will need all their strength against a Man City side who have foiled them many times in recent years, losing just one match to the Northern outfit across 15 matches in all competitions. In fact, Newcastle have only recorded one top-flight victory over City since 2005/06.
SJP will be a cauldron of deafening noise, for sure, and it will need to be, especially with Howe contending with a glut of injuries.
Newcastle team news vs Man City
Rodri and Mateo Kovacic are both out for the visitors, and so Howe will know the importance of a fiery central display to overwhelm and negate much of the away side’s creative threat.
However, the Toon may be forced to put their plan into action without the power and physicality of Joelinton, who may be sidelined after being forced off during the defeat at Brentford before the break.
The Brazilian’s nasty leg injury isn’t thought to have eliminated him from contention here, but Howe will be wary of unleashing his midfield monster if it’s clear he lacks full fitness and ferocity.
Sandro Tonali is fit to play, while Nick Pope has been given the green light following concussion protocols. However, Anthony Gordon is “touch and go”, and wide duo Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento may not be risked from the opening after bouncing back from respective setbacks.
City are going to try and overwhelm the Magpies, but with Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes on form, there’s little question that the hosts have the tools to get the job done. Albeit, Yoane Wissa is still not quite ready to make his debut, months after completing a big-money transfer from Brentford, as he completes the final laps of his recovery process after a knee injury sustained on international duty with DR Congo.
And if Joelinton is kept out of action, or even benched, Howe has the perfect alternative to unleash in the middle of the park.
Howe could unleash Joelinton replacement
Newcastle need an emphatic performance against City, who have taken the spoils so often in this meeting. What Newcastle could do with is some uplifting flair to complement the grit of Howe’s wider system.
Well, while Jacob Ramsey will be gunning for a starting berth, it’s Lewis Miley who should be given the nod, with his deep-lying playmaking qualities allowing the senior midfielders beside him to play with freedom and dynamism.
Miley came under flak across the early weeks of the campaign, some segments of the fanbase questioning his levels, but he has grown in confidence over the past few months, particularly impressing in starts over Benfica and Fulham, both wins for United.
After that mature showing against Benfica, journalist Liam Kennedy hailed his “coming-of-age performance in the number six role”, proving that he’s now “ready for serious minutes”.
The 19-year-old is a silky ball-playing midfielder with convincing signs of defensive play. He is raw, yes, and lacks the polish of a midfielder grown into their skin. And yet he’s also got something special about him, a game-changing quality that has led one Magpies Podcaster to hail him as being Howe’s “own Phil Foden”, given his English talent and growing reputation as his side’s starboy.
Miley emerged before he had even reached adulthood, and he confirmed that he has potential in Howe’s Newcastle system.
If Howe does engineer his first-ever Premier League victory over Manchester City (for Newcastle and Bournemouth), this could be a sensational turning point for a club whose residual issues from the summer transfer window are continuing to plague the team’s fluency and confidence.
Many eyes will be on Nick Woltemade, on Tonali and Bruno in the centre. The big hitters. But this is a game for a breakthrough, and Miley could finally announce himself, properly, as a star in the making on Tyneside.
He’s hardly unknown. The academy graduate has already racked up 58 senior appearances for Newcastle, and he has scored three goals and provided five assists.
He might not have Foden’s gusto and world-renowned reputation, but Miley is an exciting and creative player, strong in the duel and bringing a unique flavour that perhaps no one else in the squad can quite match.
Foden, for sure, will be a threat, and perhaps someone Pep Guardiola will look to use as a focal point. After all, Erling Haaland might have scored on his first appearance against Howe’s Newcastle, but he has blanked across five outings since.
Miley has the opportunity to stand his countryman up and take control on a big evening for Newcastle. They cannot afford to slip to a defeat on home turf ahead of successive away trips to Marseille and then Everton.
This might just be his moment.
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