Manchester City Host Newcastle. Again. | OneFootball

Manchester City welcome Newcastle United in the latest weekend of heavyweight clashes in a Premier League title race that has already started to twist and turn.

City Back in Control

When Pep Guardiola’s side left the field after their 3-0 victory over Fulham ten days ago, they would have been expecting to trail Arsenal by nine points when they next returned to Premier League action. However, back-to-back league draws for Mikel Arteta’s side have transformed the landscape at the top of the table.

The Gunners tripped up twice in the space of the week. The first stumble was at Brentford, before then surrendering a two-goal lead at bottom-placed Wolves. It has returned City’s destiny back into their own hands. If the Blues win all of their 12 remaining fixtures, and Arsenal drop any more points, then they will be crowned Premier League champions.

There has been a tangible momentum shift since City’s dramatic comeback victory at Anfield. When they trailed Liverpool entering the final minutes of the match, Guardiola’s side had slipped to nine points adrift from the league leaders in the live standings.

“I feel that the whole team knew before the game that if we lost this game, probably the title race is over,” captain Bernardo Silva admitted after the match.

However, two late goals turned things around for the Blues, who now, less than a fortnight later, find themselves just five points behind the Gunners, and with a game in hand. Well, this may be a new-look City side, Guardiola and some of his more senior players will certainly smell blood in the water. They must continue to pile the pressure on Arsenal, who are beginning to crack.

Resurgent Newcastle

Newcastle have also seen their fortunes turned in recent weeks. Previously hindered by the inability to win on the road, Newcastle have now won three away matches on the trot. Eddie Howe’s side had claimed just three away victories all season prior to their current run.

No longer inhibited by constant woes on their travels, Newcastle will arrive at the Etihad with renewed belief. They have snuck into the top half of the table, at the expense of rivals Sunderland, and will be targeting a late push for European football. They were just eight points back from fifth going into the weekend, almost certainly a Champions League spot. The Magpies will be determined to secure a second consecutive season in Europe’s elite competition for the first time in the club’s history.

Despite this, their record in East Manchester has been pretty poor to say the least. Newcastle have never won a league game at the Etihad, with their last away league victory over City coming all the way back in 2000 – at Maine Road and courtesy of an Alan Shearer goal. Their sole triumph at the Etihad came in the League Cup in 2014. It is an abysmal run that Howe will certainly be keen to put an end to, but that may be easier said than done.

Familiar Foes

Saturday’s contest will already be the fourth meeting of these two teams this season, with another one to come in the FA Cup next month. Should the sides also be drawn against each other in the Champions League, they will face off seven times in one campaign – the maximum possible.

The regularity of their clashes is definitely not be welcomed by either manager, with both sides proving to be stubborn opponents. It was Newcastle who ran out 2-1 victors when the sides met at St James Park in the Premier League earlier in the season. However, City have since put the Magpies to the sword in both legs of their League Cup semi-final, triumphing 5-1 on aggregate.

Both teams have had ample opportunity to familiarise themselves with their opposition, and they should know exactly what to expect this Saturday evening. City know the significance of this game, especially with it coming ahead of the north London derby on Sunday. It is critical that Guardiola’s side claim all three points, but the fixture is also of great importance to Howe’s men. Newcastle will be out for revenge and they cannot afford to give up matches in their hunt for Champions League qualification.