Newcastle v Manchester City – Match preview.

Posted on December 25th, 2010 | 17 Comments |

Do it for Benny!
Do it for Benny!
Newcastle host title chasing Manchester City in a rare Boxing Day match on Tyneside, but in contrast to the plummeting tempaertaures, the atmosphere could be as hot as ever after the ill feeling harvested as a result of the reverse fixture at the City of Manchester Stadium back in October comes to the fore.

Newcastle played really well on the day and deserved much more than they got from the match. Martin Atkinson, the match referee for that game, awarded Man City a penalty for a challenge that was outside the box, but then failed to send Mike Williamson off for being the last man, which should have been the case if it was a foul. He also missed a blatant penalty that should have been awarded to Newcastle after Joleon Lescott hacked down Shola Ameobi in the penalty area. Perhaps the biggest contributing factor to the ill feeling is the fate of Hatem Ben Arfa, who had his leg broke in two places after a lunge by Nigel de Jong. Apparently this was deemed as a fair tackle, and Atkinson waved play on despite the Frenchman being on the ground writhing in pain.

Anyway, I guess it is all in the past now, but it would be nice to get some sort of comeuppance against them in the shape of a result, which is something we have struggled to do since way back in 2005 when Michael Owen scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory. Eight games have passed since then and we are still left looking for our next victory.

Newcastle haven’t had a game for two weeks now due the cancellation of the match at Birmingham last weekend, so they will hopefully be feeling refreshed and ready for the battle. Mike Williamson and Fabricio Coloccini are ready to be called upon again after their respective three match bans, and with Sol Campbell looking likely to miss the game after picking up a virus it seems almost certain that one of either Colo or Willo is set to get the nod.

Up front, it would appear that Shola Ameobi is struggling with injury, which could open the dooor for Nile Ranger to make his first Premier League start for The Magpies. It could also signal the return of the 4-5-1 kind of system with Kevin Nolan pushed up front in support of Andy Carroll and an extra midfielder in the middle to help anchor things and keep things ticking over.

It’s a tough one, and I’d like to see Ranger get his first start. I know Pardew was mumbling in midweek about the application of Nile Ranger and his punctuality with regard to turning up at training on time, but his effect on the Liverpool game was there for all to see and is still fresh in my mind. With that in mind I would like to see a team of:

Newcastle: Tim Krul, Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Joey Barton, Cheik Tiote, Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Nile Ranger, Andy Carroll.

Pablo Zabaleta returns to the Manchester City squad after recovering from a recent bout of injury, as does Nigel de Jong, who is back in contention after serving a suspension. Kolo Toure will miss the game however as he serves his suspension for being sent off in City’s last match against Everton.

That match against Everton ended up with City losing 2-1 on their own doorstep and blowing the chance to go top of the table at Christmas for the first time in god knows how long. They played with a team of:

Manchester City: Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Kolo Toure, Vincent Kompany, Aleksander Kolarov, James Milner, Yaya Toure, Gareth Barry, David Silva, Carlos Tevez, Mario Balotelli.

This is the third Boxing Day meeting between the sides. Newcastle won 4-1 at home in 1905, while Manchester City ran out 4-0 winners at Maine Road in 1977. If City win the match it will be their first league double of the season.

The Magpies have scored 19 goals at home this season, the equal second highest behind leaders Manchester United. Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan have contributed two thirds of Newcastle’s 27 league goals this term.

Manchester City are impressing away from home at the moment, and I expect them to unfortunately continue their impressive run of away results by taking all three points tomorrow.

My prediction: Newcastle 0-2 Manchester City.

Howay the lads!

Date: Sunday, 26th December, 2010.

Time: 3:00pm.

Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle.

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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Comment on this post

17 Responses

  1. Of course, de Jong gets hammered for this like, but Cattermole is the right dirty fecker of the PL. Inbred kunt :)

  3. Oh Kolo Toure is suspended and he’s going to play
    It’s a strange world this :P

    Anyways Howaaaaay the lads :D
    Newcastle 1-0 Man City? :)

  4. That is last weeks team for Man City. I though the “this is the team that played in City’s last game” bit may have given that away…….

    Apparently not…..

  7. Toonsy you put in so much effort that gets unrecognised mate. You might aswell not bother the way some of these mofos act m8. Give some respect to toonsy man ya t!ts. he keeps the place going like. Without him it would be a weekly coffee morning and moan aboot current affairs.

  8. Well done toonsy and worky ye’s are ace, ye’s divvent have to put yourselves oot and dee this ye’s arn’t paid for it or nowt but ye’s do it coz you’s want to and to be pubic serice broadcast/ the news in normal terms. I think ye’s do a great job like and don’t listen to any mug who tells you’s otherwise coz I know for fact 99% people find this blog the dogs b###### and the other 1% i’ll take doon the river and shove their face in a dose of reality. Merry Xmas everybody. :)

  9. I was joking by the way, (just incase someone took that last post as real) :) ;) gan to bed it’s bed time ye :) :lol:

  10. Just read Hughtons version of his firing, confirms what i thought, he was condemed from the first day back in the PL, they just had to find an excuse.
    How it was done was cold blooded, a reflection of the kind of jerks presently running this club.
    But Hughton is a mensh, took it like the man he is and refuses to cry about it.
    Well he`s got my respect, as for the jerks, they will never be accepted by the fans of this club and the sooner they f**k off the better for all concerned.

  11. John Carver for assitant to Pardew, shit rather have him as manager, if he was good enough for Sir Bobby, says it all.
    As for the rumored SWP arriving, hope not, long past his best, light weight, gets bullied.
    Play the same side as in the last outing, cept for give Lovenkrands a shot up front or play him on the right wing and play Nolan behind Carroll.
    Bring Ranger in later, he`s not ready to start.

  12. Finaly a matchday! Whoo. Howay newcastle lets beat these overpaid fools and exact revenge for benny. :)

  13. DJG – Were you drunk last night? :lol:

    As for Hughton, I agree with Chuck. It certainly seems that Hughton was doomed to fail from the start and the pair of tits upstairs were just waiting for an excuse to pull the trigger.

  14. Aye fat Ash never wanted Chris as manager in the prem but everytime he was about to pull the trigger Ch would get a good result so the fat one waited for a slightly poor run of results and got rid.

  15. Imagine this: Whilst Pardew gives his pre match team talk in comes Ben Arfa and says, Lads I want to see nothing less than a resounding win and revenge on De Jong! and we go on to win 4-0! I think the lads shouldn’t need any extra motivation today! Howay the lads!

  16. Revenge would be oh so sweet, how perfect would it be for them to be on the receiving end of what we got down there, freezing cold, cauldron of hate and a committed performance should sort them out.

  17. THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT TO SEE THE GAME GO HERE – sportstream24.com/england_football/watch_online_9