Manchester City are back in Premier League action this weekend against Newcastle United.
The Citizens are looking to get back to winning ways in the competition after drawing against Arsenal on Sunday.
John Stones popped up right at the death to save Manchester City‘s bacon, with a 2-2 draw arguably being a fair result in the end.
City did beat Watford in the Carabao Cup in midweek to build a little bit of momentum heading into Saturday’s game with Newcastle.
Pep Guardiola made changes against the Hornets and gave minutes to a lot of fringe players, but it should be normal service resumed against the Magpies.
Chris Sutton backs Man City to beat Newcastle in first game since Rodri’s injury
Earlier this week, City fans were rocked by reports that Rodri is set to miss the rest of the season through injury.
Rodri went down in the first-half against Arsenal when he was attempting to attack a corner.
City have confirmed that it’s ligament damage, and the 28-year-old will now be missing for the foreseeable future.
We all know how important a player Rodri is for City. But Pep has some good options to replace him and hopefully, others can step up.
Jamie Carragher has already suggested we could see John Stones playing centre-back but stepping into midfield alongside Mateo Kovacic or Ilkay Gundogan.
Pundit Chris Sutton has been casting his eye over the weekend’s Premier League fixtures. Despite City losing Rodri, he does not foresee any issues for Pep’s side at St. James’ Park.
Predicting a 3-1 away win, he said (via BBC Sport): “Newcastle’s performances have not been there all season but they have been picking up results, most of the time. They could have gone top for a few hours last weekend, had they not lost at Fulham after a disappointing performance.
“They have given Manchester City a good game at St James’ Park in the past couple of years but, given their current form and the fact they are yet to click, I am not sure this game will be as close.
“City are without Rodri but I still think they will win comfortably. Of course they will miss him, but they have players who are capable of stepping in.”
A test for City
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St. James’ Park can be a tricky place for any team to go and this will be a test for City.
Newcastle ran City close last season in this fixture, before Kevin De Bruyne completely changed the game on his return from injury, with Oscar Bobb scoring an injury-time winner.
City fans will hope it will be a bit more comfortable this time around, but Newcastle will surely pose a challenge.
In terms of results, it’s been a good start by Eddie Howe’s side, who have taken 10 points from a possible 15 despite a poor summer in the transfer market.
City have just lost Rodri to a long-term injury, and it will be really intriguing to see how Pep decides to cover his absence.
The Spaniard is absolutely integral for City and some are worried about how the team will fare in his absence. Micah Richards is one man who expressed his concerns, believing his injury could be a leveller for title rivals Arsenal.
