Manchester City are in Premier League action against Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon.
The Citizens will hope to make the most of Chelsea’s loss to Brighton & Hove Albion to get themselves back into the Premier League’s top four.
However, Manchester City have Newcastle snapping at their heels – the Magpies are level on points and sit a place below them in the table.
The 3pm kick-off at the Etihad Stadium will also pit two of the Premier League’s best centre-forwards up against one another.
Erling Haaland, currently on 19 league goals, will lock horns with Alexander Isak, who has 17 league goals to his name.
Paul Merson and Chris Sutton have now predicted how they feel the game at the Etihad Stadium will go in terms of action and scoreline.
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Paul Merson backs Newcastle to beat ‘ageing’ Manchester City team
Merson believes Man City are an ageing team struggling to last the distance in matches nowadays, as evidenced by the late goals they’ve been shipping.
This, combined with the overall toll on players from the season and the upcoming Champions League fixture against Real Madrid, means Merson feels Newcastle will win 2-1 on the day.
“The big problem for Manchester City is that they have to face Real Madrid just four days after this game,” Merson wrote on Sportskeeda. “Newcastle at home will be a massive challenge for City.
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“I don’t know what I will get from City anymore. The way City started that game against Real Madrid, they could have been 2-0 or even 3-0 down in the opening stages. Later they got a grip on things and looked like their best self before giving it away in the end.
“They are too up and down during games and that’s a problem. City have conceded plenty of late goals. That is the sign of an ageing team, certain players get tired and it affects them. As a team, City don’t have a good 90 minutes in them anymore!
“I don’t see how Man City can win this game and I’d be shocked if Newcastle get beat, even though they’re away from home. Prediction: Manchester City 1-2 Newcastle United.”
Chris Sutton backs Manchester City to run out 2-1 winners over Newcastle
Sutton’s prediction disagrees with Merson’s call, with the BBC Sport pundit backing Man City to do enough to run out 2-1 winners over Newcastle.
Sutton believes Newcastle’s poor form at Man City – both the Etihad Stadium and Maine Road – will have a bearing on this game too.
“I am at this game for BBC Radio 5 Live and there is no way City are keeping a clean sheet,” Sutton wrote on BBC Sport.
“In fact, until I realised just how bad Newcastle’s record is at the Etihad, I was thinking of backing Eddie Howe’s side to win.
“City have won the past 10 league games between the two sides here, and my old Blackburn strike partner Alan Shearer got the winner the last time Newcastle took the points at City – in September 2000 at their old Maine Road ground.
“That all points to a City win for me, far more than their current form does anyway.
“Let’s face it, form does not really help me much anyway at the moment. Who could have seen Newcastle losing at home to Fulham in their last league game?
“So I may as well say a hoodoo like this one will continue and City will get over the line, even if Newcastle do definitely have a goal or two in them.”
