Match/Stats Preview NUFC v Manchester City
By Tyne-Talk
January 2 2008
Newcastle United play host to Manchester City this evening in a must win match for the Magpies who are currently 11th in the League with 26 points from 20 games. City on the other hand are just outside the top 6 on goal difference, but with 36 points from 20 games. The two sides go head to head with several injuries between them and players unavailable for other reasons.
Newcastle are without Joey Barton after he was remanded in custody last week on charges of common assault and affray, he is due in court tomorrow. Alan Smith is also sidelined with concussion, though Michael Owen looks set to feature after making his comeback as a substitute against Chelsea at the weekend as does Faye who has been given the all clear despite leaving Stamford Bridge with his arm in a sling and Stephen Carr who has overcome a hamstring injury.
United have on managed 1 clean sheet in 16 league games and that was against Fulham on 15th December 2007, both teams go into the final festive fixture looking for their 1st win of the Christmas period, with Newcastle having drawn one and lost two and City having drawn all thre matches.
Manchester City have a good New Year record and have only lost once in the last eight 1st Premier League fixtures of the year, and that was in 2006, Newcastle however havent lost one since 2002 which was against Manchester United.
The odds look to be in Newcastle's favour when it comes to City's away record, they have claimed only 4 points in 24 and havent won in 8 games, Newcastle on the other hand havent lost three league games in a row at home since 2006 and only 2 teams, Liverpool and Portsmouth have succeeded in taking away 3 points from St James' Park this season.
Manchester City look set to start without Elano, their joint top goalscorer (5 goals) and Johnson who has a stomach groin problem. New signing Castillo also cannot play due to a paperwork delay.
Eriksson has spoken in advance of the match:
"It has been a long time since we won away from home, so we are looking forward to the day when we get another, but if you look back over what we have done so far, we should be happy.
We have 36 points after 20 games, which is a good return.
If we can keep up the work in the second half of the season, it would be perfect."
He also commented on the pressure Sam Allardyce is under:
"Every time you have a team or a club which is not doing exactly what the fans and media expect, the pressure is there. I think we have to live with that.
I don't know how much pressure Sam Allardyce is under but I do know he has a very thick skin and I don't think anyone will break him down.
Everyone knows he is a very good manager and if they give him time, I know he will change things for Newcastle.
I am quite sure he is the right man for that big job."
And of how Michael Owen, should he play, will cause big problems for his side, which may fuel recent speculation that he aims to poach the player from Newcastle during the transfer window, rumours which have been strongly denied by Allardyce:
"Michael Owen is one of the best English goalscorers of all time, which tells you everything you need to know about him.
A fit Michael Owen is a danger for everyone. He is very clever and in the box he is outstanding.
"No matter what team you manage, if you have a fit Michael Owen, you know you are gifted.
Your team can play averagely for a half, or an hour, or even for 90 minutes, but you know the first chance he gets, he will probably score. If you have three chances in one game, he will score two goals. He is ice-cool."
Newcastle United FC | Manchester City FC | |
20 | Played | 20 |
26 | Points | 36 |
7 | Won | 10 |
5 | Drawn | 6 |
8 | Lost | 4 |
27 | Goals Scored | 27 |
31 | Goals Conceded | 22 |
0 | Yellow Cards | 0 |
0 | Red Cards | 0 |
Squads
Newcastle: Given, Harper, Carr, Beye, N'Zogbia, Enrique, Rozehnal, Cacapa, Taylor, Faye, Edgar, Geremi, Butt, Milner, Emre, Duff, Smith, Martins, Viduka, Owen.
Manchester City: Hart, Isaksson, Onuoha, Corluka, Sun, Dunne, Richards, Garrido, Ball, Ireland, Hamann, Elano, Fernandes, Geovanni, Petrov, Mpenza, Vassell, Bianchi, Samaras.