Pep Guardiola has already made a big claim about Newcastle United and the future of modern football

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Newcastle United are out to end their hoodoo away at Manchester City on Saturday.

While the Etihad Stadium has not been a happy hunting ground for Newcastle United over the years, this time feels somewhat different.

Indeed, City look a shadow of their former selves and Eddie Howe’s side are in fine away form. They have won four consecutive Premier League games and, having watched Pep Guardiola’s side this season, surely few would bet against them at the home of the champions.

Newcastle sit sixth in the Premier League but level on points with City and could really put pressure on them in the fight for Champions League qualification with a victory.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
4	ChelseaChelsea	24	12	7	5	47	31	16	43
5	Man CityManchester City	24	12	5	7	48	35	13	41
6	NewcastleNewcastle	24	12	5	7	42	29	13	41
7	B’mouthBournemouth	24	11	7	6	41	28	13	40

It will be fascinating to see how Howe’s side line-up. Though not to get too carried away, the fear factor about City should be dimming somewhat now.

In fact, Guardiola actually believes teams like Newcastle define the future of modern football.

Pep Guardiola says Newcastle United are changing football

Asked about his team’s struggles back in January, Guardiola said teams such as Newcastle, Bournemouth and Brighton represent the future of football.

Rather than the elite level of the game being defined by positional play, Guardiola thinks teams with physicality, speed and power are on the rise.

He told TNT Sports: “Today modern football is the way Bournemouth, Newcastle, Brighton and Liverpool play.”

He added: “Modern football is not positional and being there, you have to rise to the rhythm unbelievably.”

Pep Guardiola will be scared after Newcastle United injury news emerges

Guardiola has also admitted he is “scared” to play teams like Newcastle, such is the threat they carry in transitions.

To that end, the news that Anthony Gordon will be fit for Newcastle against City should worry the Spaniard somewhat.

The forward, along with Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy, can offer a devasting threat on the counter – as they proved against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup.

City clearly still have the quality to hurt teams but Newcastle have to head to Manchester with genuine confidence about getting a result.