Manchester City vs Newcastle: Can the Magpies stage a comeback against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium?
Manchester City: The Citizens are in the driving seat to reach the finals
As hopes of a Premier League title continue to fade, Manchester City have an opportunity to redeem themselves in the EFL Cup. The Citizens are in the semi-final and are playing the second leg.
In the first leg, their performance against Newcastle United was nothing short of dominant. At St. James Park, they claimed a 2-0 victory, bringing our second prediction to fruition. But the question is: can they hold on to this lead and secure their spot in the finals? Let's find out what our experts have to say in our Manchester City vs Newcastle prediction for more insights on the match.
Pep Guardiola's side are no strangers to the EFL Cup. They've reached the finals of this competition nine times before, and victory here could mark their tenth appearance. During this period, they lifted the prestigious trophy eight times.
After winning the competition in the 2020-21 edition, the Citizens were unfortunate not to reach the finals in the following three editions.
Newcastle: Reigning champions in deep water
The EFL Cup titleholders find themselves in deep water as they head into the semi-final second leg of this competition. They are tasked with overturning a two-goal deficit inflicted on them in the first leg.
In that match against Manchester City, the team suffered a 2-0 defeat. They were outplayed across the board, and their profligacy in the final third proved their undoing. They registered ten shots with just two finding the target. It must be noted that defeat ended a ten-game winning run in this competition.
It hasn't been a great display in the Premier League. Their 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool extended their winless run in the league to three games, and this includes a two-match losing streak.
As far as the EFL Cup is concerned, Eddie Howe's men have crossed paths with Manchester City seven times in this competition. Unfortunately, they've been dominated by losing four of those outings (W2, D1). However, they've won two of their last three matches and will hope this is enough to topple the giants.
Take a look at previous meetings between Newcastle and Manchester City in the EFL Cup:
- 1976 (Final): Manchester City 2:1 Newcastle
- 1995 (Round of 16): Manchester City 1:1 Newcastle
- 1995 (Round of 16 Replay): Newcastle 0:2 Manchester City
- 2014 (Round of 16): Newcastle 0:2 Manchester City (AET)
- 2015 (Round of 16): Manchester City 0:2 Newcastle
- 2024 (Third Round): Newcastle 1:0 Manchester City
- 2026 (Semi-finals - 1st leg): Newcastle 0:2 Manchester City
