Predicted Starting Line-Up: Manchester City vs Newcastle United (Premier League) | OneFootball

Before they can think about attempting to overturn a one-goal deficit against Real Madrid, Manchester City must turn attentions to the not-so-small matter of a Premier League visit from Newcastle United.

Eddie Howe’s Carabao Cup final-qualifying side currently sit level on points with the reigning Premier League champions this season, with a remarkably similar record of 12 wins, five draws and seven defeats apiece.

Thursday saw the club hit with the latest in a long line of injury setbacks, as Manuel Akanji – who briefly looked like a possible solution to the team’s right-back problems in the first-leg against the Spanish side – was ruled out for at least two months.

There also remains a doubt over whether either the club’s deadline day signing in Nico Gonzalez or Jack Grealish will be fit enough to face the north-east giants this weekend, following their respective injury issues in the last two matches.

But Pep Guardiola’s men have little choice other than to dust themselves off and go again, particularly against a team that has, unbelievably, only beaten them once in the Premier League since 2005.

For once, Liverpool dropping points isn’t cause for Manchester City tails to go up – so let’s look at the team Pep Guardiola might turn to as he looks to secure a top-four finish instead this season!

Predicted XI

Ederson is undoubtedly in the doghouse after his moment of madness was perhaps the single lowest point of our Champions League defeat, but we still expect him to start against the Magpies because his understudy, Stefan Ortega, has been far from perfect this season either.

The injury to Manuel Akanji leaves a few options at right-back; we have a feeling Matheus Nunes will reclaim his makeshift spot in defence over a couple of the more naturally defensive options.

Ruben Dias is so important to this Manchester City team – even when the defence is poor he is rarely the problem. We think he will start alongside John Stones if both are fit to play this weekend.

Josko Gvardiol, one of Manchester City’s best players in midweek, will probably keep his place at left-back and will be an important attacking outlet to boot having endured a remarkably strong campaign thus far.

John Stones was excellent in midfield for much of the Real Madrid game but fitness concerns mean he may well be needed at the back – so Bernardo Silva will probably need to go once again, considering Guardiola’s press conference implied Nico is still not quite ready to start.

Mateo Kovacic was another culprit against Real Madrid but he did not start the game from the off, so the Croatian international could be considered the freshest legs available for the Newcastle game.

It is hard to see how Kevin de Bruyne could play both legs of the last-16 play-off tie against Real Madrid if he also starts against Newcastle United, so that could well mean a start for veteran, Ilkay Gundogan.

We are predicting a return to the starting eleven for new boy Omar Marmoush on one wing and, on the other, Phil Foden, who played the majority of the Real Madrid defeat despite not being named in the starting line-up.

From Pep Guardiola’s press conference on Friday afternoon, it doesn’t sound like Jack Grealish – who made a great start in the Champions League match – will recover in time.

With a rare uncertainty lingering around both goalkeepers, Erling Haaland is easily the first name on the team-sheet. Not only is he by far the most likely scorer in the squad, but this season he has cemented his status as City’s most reliable player against the biggest and best.

Predicted XI: Ederson; Nunes, Dias, Stones, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Bernardo Silva, Gundogan; Foden, Haaland, Marmoush.

Substitutes: Ortega Moreno, Lewis, Khusanov, Reis, Ake, Nico, De Bruyne, McAtee, Savinho.