Manchester City returns to the Etihad Stadium tonight, aiming to take advantage of Arsenal’s recent draw and strengthen their position in the Premier League title race.
Currently, Pep Guardiola’s team is second in the standings, just five points behind Arsenal with a game in hand. City is optimistic after Arsenal’s stalemate against Wolves, and a win tonight would narrow the gap to two points before the North London derby on Sunday. City is in impressive form, having won six of their last seven matches in all competitions, including a 3–0 victory over Fulham in their latest league game.
Newcastle United visits Manchester seeking to avenge their 5–1 aggregate defeat to City in the EFL Cup semi-finals earlier this month. Despite their history of challenges at the Etihad, Eddie Howe’s team is on a three-match winning streak away from home, most recently defeating Qarabağ 6–1 in the Champions League. The Magpies are currently in the top half and are looking to achieve their first league double over City since the 1983–84 season.
Manchester City vs Newcastle United – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Saturday, 21 February 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
- Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
- Referee: Tom Bramall
- VAR: James Bell
- Last Meeting: Manchester City 3–1 Newcastle United (4 Feb 2026), Carabao Cup
Team News
Manchester City
The home team has received a boost with Erling Haaland available again after missing the FA Cup match against Salford City. Savinho is also back for the first time since New Year’s Day, but Jérémy Doku is still out. Joško Gvardiol and Mateo Kovačić are definitely unavailable, while Max Alleyne is a doubt after being substituted early last weekend.
Newcastle United
Eddie Howe hopes to have Sven Botman and Lewis Miley back, with Botman said to be “in and around this game.” However, the Magpies will miss key midfielder Bruno Guimarães until after the international break. Tino Livramento, Yoane Wissa, Emil Krafth, and Fabian Schär are also out for the trip to Manchester.
Form
Manchester City
City is in excellent form, winning their last four matches across various competitions. This run started with a 3–1 win over Newcastle in the EFL Cup semi-finals, followed by a thrilling 2–1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield. They also secured a solid 3–0 win over Fulham. Notably, City has become very difficult to score against, conceding just eight goals in their last 12 league matches—the fewest of any team in that time. They are also unbeaten in their last 21 home league meetings with Newcastle.
Newcastle United
Newcastle arrives in Manchester full of confidence after winning three away matches, scoring a total of 11 goals. They secured a 2–1 league win at Tottenham and an FA Cup victory over Aston Villa, before recently thrashing Qarabağ FK 6–1 in Europe. Newcastle has previously beaten City once this season with a 2–1 win in November and aims for a rare league double, but they have not won in their last 10 matches against top-half teams and have not won at the Etihad in their last 20 league visits.
Predicted Lineups
Manchester City Predicted XI (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Silva, Rodri, O’Reilly; Cherki, Haaland, Semenyo
Newcastle United Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Ramsey, Tonali; Murphy, Woltemade, Barnes; Gordon
How to Watch Manchester City vs Newcastle United
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate. Fans can also stream the game through the discovery+ app.
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