Game Week 21 Predictions: City to beat Newcastle

Newcastle vs. Man City preview: Injury concerns for Newcastle, City's form resurgence, and predictions.

Manchester City's rampaging form is truly underway, can Newcastle stop them? (Photo credit: GOAL)

 Newcastle United vs Manchester City

St. James’s Park

6:30pm

We’ll have to watch Premier League games in patches this game week, we can’t complain and, we will enjoy them as they trickle in.

Newcastle’s form is precarious. The Geordies went from such an exciting gritty team to one that has to count on their fingers the number of fit first team players and, despite managing through the festive season with results going south, the year has started on a tough note again.

Joelinton has been ruled out for weeks, joining a growing list of absentees for Eddie Howe and you wonder what he has to do to get players fit. With the champions in town for this fixture, fans and everyone apologetic towards Newcastle must be making tough wishes now.

Manchester City has had to face their own troubles this season but since coming back from their global challenge, they have looked like a team that knows what to do and they will do it, are we about to see that monstrous run of wins again?

Kevin De Bruyne is back and he doesn’t look like a player that hasn’t played half an hour of Premier League football this season. The sensational Belgian had a cameo against Huddersfield in the FA Cup and didn’t only impress, he also weighed in with a beautiful assist.

Jeremy Doku is back as well, KDB’s compatriot in the Belgian national team got on the end of his kinsman’s assist to score on his return to fitness. The signs are there, City is primed to destroy teams and it will take more than prayers to stop them.

Who is available to play for Newcastle? They can afford to put a functional eleven on the pitch but, the bench won’t inspire confidence. The worry isn’t only about picking points against a tough side, they also have to hope no one gets injured in the process.

We might be seeing KDB and Doku from kickoff but we will not see Erling Haaland this game week. Pep Guardiola confirmed early on Friday that the Norwegian marksman is injured again and won’t feature until the end of the month at least.

Phil Foden is that player you must be wary of. He is set to start even with De Bruyne back on the team sheet; with Haaland unavailable, Julian Alvarez will keep his place upfront with Foden and either of Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku flanking him.

Verdict: Manchester City to win