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

The Premier League table has offered Manchester City a timely opportunity as English top-flight action resumes for Pep Guardiola’s side this weekend.

Arsenal drew 2-2 against Wolves at Molineux in midweek, giving Pep Guardiola’s team the golden opportunity to close the gap to two points by beating Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

For Manchester City, the equation is simple: win their match and put pressure on the league leaders before the North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham – now guided by Igor Tudor – on Sunday afternoon.

The clash with the Magpies is far from a routine fixture, however, and City must navigate several injury concerns as Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic remain sidelined with long-term issues, while Max Alleyne joins them after being withdrawn early in the FA Cup.

Guardiola merely nodded in response to a question on whether Erling Haaland would be available against Newcastle on Friday afternoon, whilst confirming Savinho is ready for the fixture, although Jeremy Doku remains ruled out.

The Norwegian striker missed the FA Cup fourth round win over Salford with a minor muscle problem, and Guardiola has previously suggested the issue is not serious, with his importance in a fixture of this magnitude making his inclusion highly likely if passed fit.

Here is how we predict Manchester City will line-up against Newcastle United on Saturday night!

Predicted XI

Gianluigi Donnarumma is set to return after James Trafford’s cup outing. The Italian’s presence restores authority in defence, especially against a Newcastle team that can make quick combinations in the middle and utilise space left on wings with rapid transitions.

At right-back, Matheus Nunes is likely to start. His defensive awareness will be put to the test against the speed of either Anthony Gordon or Harvey Barnes, and his role may be more about his defensive positioning than pushing up higher on the right.

Centrally, Ruben Dias and Marc Guehi are expected to form the partnership. In high-stakes situations, Dias’ leadership is still crucial, while Guehi has quickly settled to add calm distribution and assertiveness in duels.

John Stones started in the FA Cup fourth round against Salford but is likely to be on the bench for this fixture, with Manchester City expected to remain cautious over the Englishman’s game time heading into a crucial phase of the season.

On the left, Rayan Aït-Nouri should retain his place. Pep Guardiola has used him increasingly as a left-back in recent fixtures, and it is important that he can balance moving forward with recovering quickly against Newcastle’s right-sided transitions.

Rodri anchors midfield once more. Even though he hasn’t been at his best this season, his positional discipline is still crucial. The Spaniard’s job will be to dictate the tempo and exploit gaps between Newcastle’s midfield and defence to City’s advantage, and make sure the opposition do not get space and time to counter-attack.

Alongside him, Nico O’Reilly is expected to continue in a deeper central role. The youngster has given energy and ball progression while letting Aït-Nouri move forward. His recent performances, including a goal against Fulham, have demonstrated Guardiola’s trust in him.

Bernardo Silva is likely to start in midfield, with the club captain’s experience and ability to manipulate space and control the pace of the game making him a crucial component in tight contests.

On the right, Rayan Cherki is expected to start. His creativity and technical control have been fundamental to Manchester City’s attacking output this season, and his ability to operate between gaps left by full-backs and centre-backs could stretch Newcastle’s defensive line.

Through the middle, all attention turns to Erling Haaland. He starts if he is fit. His presence impacts the defensive positioning of centre-backs and makes room for midfield runners if he drops deeper. City’s attacking rotations will be based on his movement and his duels with Newcastle’s centre-backs.

Should he not make the starting line-up, Omar Marmoush is available. The Egyptian has scored five goals in his previous two home games across the Premier League and Carabao Cup against Newcastle, including a Premier League hat-trick last February.

On the left, Antoine Semenyo is in line to continue. The winger has either scored or assisted in four of his last six appearances against Newcastle, and his direct running gives City verticality that they have sometimes lacked in games where they have dominated possession.

Manchester City could adopt a controlled 4-3-3 shape, prioritising possession and structure over early aggression. Newcastle thrive in transition and wide overloads, so Pep Guardiola’s emphasis will be on compact spacing between lines and disciplined rest defence.

With Arsenal not playing until Sunday afternoon, the psychological edge is tangible. A victory would bring City within two points and intensify pressure on the league leaders. That context elevates both the stakes and the scrutiny. The margin at the top remains narrow, and Saturday presents an opportunity to influence it directly.

Predicted XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Aït-Nouri; Rodri, O’Reilly, Bernardo; Cherki, Haaland, Semenyo.

Substitutes: Trafford, Khusanov, Stones, Ake, Nico, Reijnders, Foden, Savinho, Marmoush.