Manchester City take on the visitors Newcastle in the round 25 match of English Premier League. The match will be played on Saturday, February 15th at Etihad Stadium (Manchester).
Manchester City won the treble in 2023. While they managed to retain their Premier League title last season, they entered the current campaign with overconfidence—something that has backfired. They sold Julián Álvarez before the season and later lost Rodri to a long-term injury. The response was predictable: in January, they spent freely, strengthening all areas with defenders Reis and Husanov, striker Marmoush, and, on deadline day, midfielder Nico González. However, February started in disastrous fashion with a humiliating 1-5 loss to Arsenal. They advanced past Leyton Orient in the FA Cup but even conceded a long-range goal in that match. Then, in the first leg of their Champions League knockout tie, despite taking the lead, they suffered a 2-3 home defeat to Real Madrid. City’s defensive vulnerabilities have become a major concern, and their struggles against top teams have raised serious doubts about their title hopes.
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Newcastle continues to deliver solid performances. The Magpies immediately put their trust in Eddie Howe after their ownership change. He started impressively—first saving them from what seemed like certain relegation and then guiding them to a 4th-place finish the following season. However, their return to the Champions League was far from successful. Placed in a tough group alongside PSG, Milan, and Borussia Dortmund (two of whom went on to reach at least the semifinals), they fought hard but ultimately finished last. Meanwhile, in the Premier League, they barely managed to secure a 7th-place finish. That would have been enough for Conference League qualification, but Manchester United’s FA Cup win denied them a European spot. With a lighter schedule in 2024/25 and no major summer reinforcements, they still managed to produce strong results. They defeated Arsenal in the EFL Cup and comfortably won their second semifinal. In the league, Alexander Isak and company climbed into the top four after a winning streak—though they have since suffered back-to-back defeats against Bournemouth and Fulham. In their most recent match, they won a dramatic 3-2 FA Cup tie against Birmingham. Despite their recent slip-ups, Newcastle has shown resilience in big matches and remains a threat to any opponent.
In their last four meetings, Manchester City has won just once. Earlier this season, the two sides played out a draw at the champions’ home ground. City does not seem ready to fully justify their status as favorites. Betting on Newcastle to avoid defeat looks like a smart choice.
Prediction for the match: Newcastle not to lose (X2).
