Newcastle United are preparing for their toughest game of the season on Saturday with Manchester City due on Tyneside.
The Magpies have not played very well this season, while Alan Shearer said Newcastle were awful against Fulham last weekend.
That culminated in a 3-1 defeat, which was Eddie Howe’s first loss of the season.
Next up for Newcastle United is Manchester City, with the Premier League champions heading to St James’ Park for Saturday’s 12:30pm kick-off.
Pep Guardiola will be without Rodri, with the midfielder suffering a serious knee injury in their 2-2 draw with Arsenal. However, Manchester City will have Erling Haaland available, after the striker avoided a retrospective suspension for throwing the ball at Gabriel Magalhaes’ head last Sunday.
As for Eddie Howe, he continues to have selection dilemmas, and this is the Newcastle United starting XI we predict he will choose to face Manchester City.
Eddie Howe makes one defensive change
Last week against Fulham, Howe handed Kieran Trippier his first Premier League start of the season. It did not really work, with the 34-year-old one of multiple Toon players that failed to deliver at Craven Cottage.
And given who Newcastle are up against, Geordie Boot Boys predict that Tino Livramento will start at right-back ahead of the £12million man.
Livramento is more suited to dealing with the threats that Manchester City will pose, with the 21-year-old having the pace to handle one of Jeremy Doku, Savinho or Jack Grealish.
But while Howe might make a change on the right of defence, he may lean towards sticking with Lloyd Kelly on the left. He was replaced at half time against Fulham last weekend, with neither Kelly or Lewis Hall yet to really prove why they should be a consistent starter at left-back.
Sandro Tonali starts against Manchester City
The key change that Eddie Howe needs to make against Manchester City is in midfield.
Sandro Tonali should have started against Fulham, but ended up being a substitute. Joe Willock started ahead of him, and Howe admitted after the game that picking the former Arsenal man might have been a mistake.
With that in mind, we anticipate that Howe will finally call upon Tonali and start him alongside Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.
Howe needs Newcastle duo to deliver like they did last time against Man City
Last time Newcastle United played against Manchester City at St James’ Park, Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak ran riot.
They both scored in a 3-2 defeat, with their blistering pace causing Manchester City major problems.
This season, both Gordon and Isak are struggling. Neither have hit the heights they are capable of, and the hope is that the big occasion of playing against Manchester City will inspire them to re-find their form.
They will join Harvey Barnes in attack. The 26-year-old scored again last week, with Barnes playing the best football of his Newcastle career.
Predicted Newcastle XI vs Manchester City: Pope; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Kelly; Tonali, Bruno, Joelinton; Gordon, Isak, Barnes.
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