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The teams are out. Manchester City wear their sky blue, while Newcastle sport first-choice black and white stripes. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes. “Hard to believe a player of Mahrez’s quality and excellent form is only a substitute,” writes Dean Kinsella. “And Howe thinks his bench is strong!”
Eddie Howe talks to BT. “Training has been good in response to that defeat last week … we played well between both boxes but we are looking for a better performance in the critical areas … you always think about tweaking your team … our bench looks particularly strong … we’re going to need the whole squad today and everyone is ready to play … Anthony Gordon has worked with real intensity … it’s a really good opportunity for him today … Fabian Schar suffered a slight concussion against Manchester United … we want to show our intent early in the game.”
Joelinton and Miguel Almiron are all smiles before the match. Photograph: Stu Forster/NUFC/Getty ImagesPep has a quick chat with BT Sport. “Newcastle have arrived and want to stay for a long, long time … I am sure they have already forgotten [the cup-final defeat] and want to finish the Premier League as high as possible … I expect the best from Newcastle … always we take a look at opponents, now Arsenal, in the past Liverpool … obviously we would prefer they lose, that is normal … but [Arsenal] make 50 points in the first leg of the season, they are so consistent, so we know we can drop few points if we want to stay there until the end … I have said for many months that Manchester United are back … the strangeness of the last seven or eight years was that they were not there.”
Fans queue at the Maine Road Chippy for some pre-match scran. Photograph: Carl Recine/ReutersManchester City make two changes to the starting XI selected for the 4-1 rout of Bournemouth last weekend. Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker replace Julian Alvarez and Rico Lewis, who both drop to the bench.
Newcastle United make three changes to the team named for the League Cup final. Nick Pope returns in goal after suspension, replacing Loris Karius, while Martin Dubravka sits on the bench. Fabian Schar is injured so club captain Jamaal Lascelles takes his place, while Anthony Gordon makes his first start for the club since joining from Everton, Allan Saint-Maximin dropping to the bench.
The teamsManchester City: Ederson, Walker, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Rodri, De Bruyne, Gundogan Foden, Grealish, Haaland.
Subs: Ortega, Phillips, Stones, Laporte, Alvarez, Silva, Mahrez, Palmer, Lewis.
Newcastle United: Pope, Trippier, Lascelles, Botman, Burn, Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Almiron, Wilson, Gordon.
Subs: Dubravka, Saint-Maximin, Ritchie, Targett, Isak, Manquillo, Murphy, Willock, Anderson.
🔵 TEAM NEWS 🔵
XI | Ederson, Walker, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Gundogan (C), Foden, Grealish, Haaland
SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Phillips, Stones, Laporte, Alvarez, Bernardo, Mahrez, Palmer, Lewis#ManCity | @HaysWorldwide pic.twitter.com/DVUylaQqd1
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 4, 2023 PreambleIt’s a big one this lunchtime. The top of the Premier League looks like at the moment …
… which means Manchester City will be desperate for three points that would keep them on Arsenal’s tail – you’d have to think the leaders will beat struggling Bournemouth later this afternoon – while Newcastle United would love any sort of result that closes the gap on fourth-placed Spurs and keeps them in the hunt for a top-four finish. In short, it’s set up deliciously … and if we get a match that’s half as good as the reverse fixture back in August, we’ll be doing pretty well. Kick off is at 12.30pm GMT. It’s on!