Newcastle vs Man City live on December 19, 2021: Cityzens looking to retain top spot ahead of festive period

December 18, 2021 By Ali M.

Topics: TV Schedules, Newcastle, Manchester City, English Premier League

While the Magpies have been one of the worst teams in the league this season, Guardiola's men must be wary of an unwanted slip-up, with Liverpool sitting a mere point behind.

Preview

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc in the Premier League, with several top-flight games being suspended over the weekend as clubs look to contain the spread of the virus. Fortunately, Man City are not one of those affected, with the Cityzens set to go ahead with their Sunday clash with Newcastle.

Guardiola's men enter this tie on the back of excellent form and are currently top of the table. However, Merseyside giants Liverpool are hot on the heels of the defending champions, with Salah and Co. sitting a mere point behind. As a result, the league leaders cannot afford to slip up.

Fortunately, form favors the visitors. While Man City did suffer a UEFA Champions League defeat against RB Leipzig not too long ago, Bernardo Silva and Co. have won their last seven league outings in a row. Furthermore, that aforementioned European defeat mattered little as the Premier League giants had already secured a top-spot finish in their group, beating PSG.

Man City's most recent fixture was a convincing triumph over Leeds, with the Etihad Stadium side scoring seven past Marcelo Bielsa's men. The club had six different scorers on the day, with De Bruyne netting a brace while Foden, Grealish, Mahrez, Stones, and Ake all getting on the scoresheet.

That clean sheet was their second in a row, adding to their already impressive defense. With only nine goals conceded, Ruben Dias and Co. boast not only the best defensive record, but are the only side yet to hit double digits for goals against.

Things do not look as positive for the home side, however. Eddie Howe brought Newcastle's horrible winless run to an end earlier this month, leading them to a 1-0 triumph over Burnley. However, things haven't improved for the relegation-battling side.

Their 3-1 loss to Liverpool over the midweek was their ninth defeat in 17 outings, leaving them level on points with bottom-of-the-table Norwich. Watford, who sit just outside the relegation zone, are only three points ahead while 16th-placed Leeds, who were beaten 4-1 by Arsenal over the weekend, are only six ahead. This means a memorable victory over Man City would do Newcastle wonders, but it is a result they would have to fight for.

Team news

Newcastle: Jamal Lewis is out until January and will thus sit this tie out. Similarly, Saint-Maximin also picked up a knock at Anfield and is a huge doubt despite the optimism from the manager. Joe Willock and Callum Wilson were left on the bench for the Liverpool game but should return to the lineup this Sunday.

Man City: Ferran Torres remains on the sidelines while Bernardo Silva could be rested for this tie as precaution after being taken off in the Leeds victory. Cancelo is back from suspension while Sterling will be keen on returning to the lineup.

Key stats

Newcastle have managed to register only one win in their last 27 Premier League showdowns with Man City (D4, L22).
The Magpies will be looking to win back-to-back home games for the first time since December 2019, having beaten Burley in their most recent St. James' Park outing.
The Cityzens have won 33 Premier League games in 2021 and are one victory away from setting a new record of most wins in a single calendar year.