Manchester Metropolis welcome Newcastle United to the Etihad Stadium in an enormous match within the Premier League title race.
Metropolis know that victory over the Magpies will transfer them stage on video games and simply two factors behind leaders Arsenal, who face arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
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This comes after Arsenal have gained simply two factors in two video games within the league since Metropolis beat Fulham 3-0 final weekend, permitting Pep Guardiola’s facet a route again into the title race.
However Newcastle shall be no pushovers. They’ve gained their final three video games – all on the street – and Eddie Howe’s males shall be decided to win on the Etihad for the primary ever time within the league, and the primary time away to Metropolis in almost 26 years.
Listed here are 5 issues to look out for as Metropolis host the Toon Military:
Who joins Haaland and Semenyo in assault?
Erling Haaland – assuming he’s match – and Antoine Semenyo appear pretty nailed on to begin towards Newcastle.
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Haaland has missed the final sport and a half with harm, although was pictured in coaching forward of Newcastle’s go to to the Etihad.
He and Semenyo each scored in Metropolis’s final Premier League sport towards Fulham, the latter of whom was additionally unlucky to not rating in a quick cameo look towards Salford Metropolis final Saturday.
It appears doubtless that Bernardo Silva, Rodri and Nico O’Reilly will play in midfield, leaving one house left within the workforce – in all probability for a quantity ten who performs proper wing out of possession primarily based on the current system.
Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden and Tijjani Reijnders are the prime candidates, however all three had been very poor towards Salford.
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Semenyo may play there if Omar Marmoush comes into the entrance line, however the Egyptian additionally wasn’t nice towards the Ammies.
Savinho and Jeremy Doku might be match, however whether or not they’d be rushed again into the facet right away stays to be seen.
If I needed to plump for one it’d be Cherki primarily based on his performances this season on the entire, however in the end I wouldn’t thoughts any of the opposite names beginning there.
Fatigue within the Newcastle ranks
It’s been a protracted, however profitable, week for Newcastle.
They began it in Birmingham on Saturday night, the place they ran out 3-1 winners towards Aston Villa to progress to the spherical of 16 of the FA Cup, the place they’ll face Metropolis at St James’s Park.
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Howe’s facet then confronted the longest European away journey any English workforce has had, travelling to Baku in Azerbaijan to face Qarabag.
They smashed their opponents 6-1 to successfully safe their place within the UEFA Champions League spherical of 16, however their journey to the Etihad would be the hardest problem but.
The gamers shall be exhausted from travelling alone, by no means thoughts having to play two full excessive depth matches in a hostile ambiance.
Metropolis, in the meantime, had a house sport final week and a relaxation in midweek having already certified for the final 16 of the Champions League, and shall be more energizing than the Magpies heading into this one.
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O’Reilly persevering with in midfield
As talked about above, I count on to see O’Reilly begin in midfield.
The 20-year-old broke into the primary workforce roughly this time final 12 months as a left again, and fought off competitors from new signing Rayan Ait-Nouri in the beginning of the season to maintain his spot.
Now that he’s returned from AFCON, Ait-Nouri has gathered a little bit of kind after a run within the workforce, that means O’Reilly has moved into his extra pure place of midfield.
He’s impressed together with his technicality and physicality, in addition to his field crashing presence, chipping in with a objective final day trip towards Fulham within the Premier League.
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Together with Rodri and Bernardo, he’s forming a part of a settled midfield trio which might be shifting Metropolis up the desk.
Guehi x Dias at centre again
As a lot as Abdukodir Khusanov stepped up throughout Metropolis’s harm disaster at centre again, it’s clear to me that Guardiola will transfer ahead with Ruben Dias and Marc Guehi as his most well-liked centre again partnership.
Dias has been injured because the 1-1 draw with Chelsea – the identical sport the place Josko Gvardiol broke his leg – however began towards Fulham and got here on towards Liverpool, so will be thought-about prepared and raring to go once more.
Guehi, in the meantime, has been a revelation since becoming a member of for £20 million from Crystal Palace in January.
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The England worldwide is extraordinarily snug on the ball, is sweet at nipping in forward of attackers to win the ball and even grabbed his first objective for the membership final week towards Salford.
Khusanov presents tempo that neither Dias or Guehi can, however I count on Guardiola to lean extra closely on the expertise, management and effectively roundedness {that a} Dias/Guehi centre again partnership can present.
A buoyant Etihad ambiance?
Saturday 8pm is an odd kickoff time, however may show to supply an electrical ambiance.
Lunchtime video games can usually be a bit sleepy, whereas beneath the Etihad lights with individuals having the complete day to construct as much as the sport will undoubtedly result in extra stadium noise.
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There’s at all times the query of empty seats and opposition followers within the dwelling finish, as increasingly more correct Blues abandon going to video games resulting from poor ticketing insurance policies and rising costs.
However Arsenal’s midweek end result will certainly encourage anybody unsure to show up and again the workforce in one in all their most vital video games of the season so far.