Manchester City players celebrate after scoring. (Getty Images)
Manchester City travel to St. James’ Park on Saturday with hopes of catching up with Liverpool for the top spot in the Premier League.
City have not been the same side that won the title last year, with a slight dip in their form. Injuries have been a concern for Pep Guardiola this term.
As they travel to East London on Saturday, Pep would be hoping his men to come back with a thumping victory over the Magpies.
They go into the game on the back of a draw against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. They narrowly defeated Chelsea last weekend and leapt over them to 3rd spot in the league standings.
Meanwhile, hosts Newcastle United would be looking to get a point from this tough fixture and improve their position in the Premier League. However, City would be looking to see the game off easily and take maximum points on their course to reach the top.
While Laporte and Sane are set to be out for a long time with their injuries, Zinchenko is on the process of recovering to fitness. All three of them would not be available for Saturday’s encounter.
Sergio Aguero recently picked up a thigh injury and missed the Champions League fixture and is expected to be out of this match too, with his return unknown.
The Brazilian shot-stopper returned to the line-up last weekend against Chelsea. He was steady against Shakthar in the Champions League except for the goal they conceded. He is likely to retain his spot.
The 25-year-old started in City’s last 2 games and is expected to start ahead of Kyle Walker this weekend. He would be looking to improve his game and prove a point to Pep.
The Englishman was left on the bench against Shakhtar. He would certainly be picked ahead of out-of-form Nicolas Otamendi for the Premier League.
With an injury to Laporte, Fernandinho has been asked to cover this area. He was at his best against the Ukrainian opponent and looks to have improved in the new role. He is a sure starter.
The Frenchman was left on the bench in the Champions League and is expected to start this weekend ahead of Angelino. He would be a good choice for the Premier League.
He has been a great asset to the team. His killer passes have proven to be match-winning on many occasions. City’s midfield would be incomplete without the Belgian. He should start without any competition for this position.
Rodri has been a consistent member of Pep’s squad, but injuries have hampered his progress. He should start against the Cherries and would be looking to make major contributions to the team.
The German’s goal against Shakhtar proved to be vital in their draw. He would be given the nod ahead of David Silva and would be looking to add quality to the team.
The most consistent player for Pep Guardiola, Sterling did not have a good game in the mid-week. His presence in the team is very crucial and would be a sure starter. He will be looking to score in the absence of Aguero.
He is yet to rediscover his form from last year but has started in the majority of the games this season except for the match against Chelsea, where he was suspended. He would start ahead of Riyad Mahrez.
The youngster would surely start due to Aguero’s injury and would be looking to grab the opportunity by scoring a goal or two.
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