The EFL Cup semi-finals get underway tomorrow evening. First up is holders Newcastle vs Manchester City, a clash which has excitement written all over it!
Eddie Howe’s men will be desperate to defend the silverware they famously lifted at Wembley last season, and utilising home advantage in the first leg could prove crucial.
But Pep Guardiola and City know how to get things done in this competition, having won the trophy four times in a row between 2018 and 2021.
Check out our full Newcastle vs Manchester City preview below, which features the latest EFL Cup odds and our betting picks.
And we are always looking to help you play your way, so if your chosen team for this match goes 2-0 up, our Early Payout feature will see your Match Result bet settled as a winner – regardless of the full-time score.
Where can I watch Newcastle vs Manchester City in the UK?
Newcastle vs Manchester City will be broadcast live on ITV1, Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm UK time.
Newcastle vs Manchester City Preview
Recent results
Both teams collected wins in the FA Cup Third Round on the weekend, though with differing levels of drama. City thrashed Exeter City 10-1 – with new signing Antoine Semenyo scoring and assisting on debut – while Newcastle required penalties to beat Bournemouth following a fabulous 3-3 draw at St James’ Park.
In the Premier League, Newcastle are on a three-match winning streak after victories over Burnley (1-3), Crystal Palace (2-0) and Leeds (4-3).
City have drawn each of the last three in the top flight against Sunderland (0-0), Chelsea (1-1) and Brighton (1-1), now trailing leaders Arsenal by six points.
Head-to-head record
Newcastle beat City 2-1 at St James’ Park earlier in the season (November 22 to be exact) thanks to a brace from Harvey Barnes, which was their first league win over the Citizens since January 2019.
The Magpies did dump Guardiola’s men out of the EFL Cup last term, though, claiming a 1-0 home win thanks to a strike from Alexander Isak.
But City’s record of 11 wins from the previous 15 editions of this fixture across all competitions is still pretty ominous.
Team news
Tino Livramento picked up a hamstring injury vs Bournemouth, adding to Newcastle’s defensive injury woes. Dan Burn, Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles and Emil Krafth are all out, while winger Anthony Elanga is also unlikely to feature.
City are also hampered by absentees at the back. Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias and John Stones are injured, while Rayan Ait-Nouri is only just returning from AFCON. Omar Marmoush is still at the tournament with Egypt, while fellow forwards Savinho and Oscar Bobb remain on the treatment table.
New City signing Semenyo is eligible to feature here, despite representing Bournemouth in the earlier rounds.
Newcastle vs Manchester City Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Newcastle are slight underdogs here at a pre-match price of 3.20. City are at odds of 2.17 to claim the win, while the draw is intriguingly valued at 3.62.
Newcastle vs Manchester City Betting Tips
Player to score or assist – Harvey Barnes @ 2.77
All the recent stats seem to point towards Barnes strutting his stuff in this match. As previously mentioned, he scored a brace against City back in November, and enters this contest on the back of consecutive doubles vs Leeds and Bournemouth. So we are taking advantage of the fabulous price on offer!
Player to score or assist – Antoine Semenyo @ 2.12
Semenyo was electric on debut vs Exeter, displaying the speed, pace and precision which allowed Bournemouth to demand a £65 million fee for his services. City may look to rely on their counter-attacking strength at Newcastle, a style which the ambidextrous Semenyo is tailor-made for. The Ghanaian and Erling Haaland could be a terrifying duo!
Newcastle to win and both teams to score @ 4.80
With both sides missing key players at the back, we fancy a high-scoring affair on Tyneside. And given Newcastle have not lost at home since late September, Howe’s men can certainly look to make it back-to-back wins over City.
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