Newcastle vs Manchester City LIVE commentary: Tonali makes first start of season as Lewis replaces injured Rodri

Newcastle host unbeaten Premier League champions Manchester City at St. James’ Park this afternoon, live on talkSPORT.

The Toon’s last two home league meetings with Pep Guardiola‘s side have seen 11 goals shared between the two.

However, despite sitting in sixth place, the Toon have struggled to hit the heights they’ve shown under Eddie Howe so far this season.

The Magpies have looked weak defensively and without a clear plan on the ball and have mainly relied on individual moments of quality to win games, which Howe has admitted isn’t sustainable.

Meanwhile, City are unbeaten in the league this term after narrowly avoiding defeat to Arsenal last week.

And the Citizens head to Tyneside knowing they can extend their lead at the top of the table to four points before Arsenal and Liverpool play.

Newcastle vs Man City: How to deal without Rodri?

City won their first three league games of the season without Rodri because he was given extra time off after helping Spain win Euro 2024.

He made his first top-flight start of the season in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal but came off before half time after an accidental collision with Thomas Partey saw him twist his knee.

Since then, the Citizens have confirmed that the Spaniard has suffered an ACL injury and is out for the season.

City’s only defeats, bar one, last season came when Rodri wasn’t playing, so for them to not have him available for their push for a fifth-straight title is going to be a real challenge.

The first test without him starts this weekend.

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• Newcastle have won just one of their last 33 Premier League games against Manchester City (D5 L27), a 2-1 home win in January 2019 under Rafael Benítez.
• Manchester City have scored in each of their last 31 Premier League games against Newcastle, the longest scoring streak one team has against another in the competition’s history.
• In their Premier League history, Manchester City have won more games (31), more away games (12) and scored more goals (101) against Newcastle than they have vs any other opponent.

Newcastle vs Man City: Date and how to follow

This Premier League game is set to take place on Saturday, September 28.

Kick-off at St James’ Park is scheduled for 12:30pm.

talkSPORT will have live and EXCLUSIVE coverage from the north east, with Reshmin Chowdhury serving as your presenter.

Commentary will come from Sam Matterface and England icon Stuart Pearce.

talkSPORT.com will also keep you up to date on out dedicated Premier League blog.

To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

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• Newcastle are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League home games, winning six and drawing four. However, Manchester City were the last side to beat them at St James’ Park (3-2 in January).
• Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 28 league games (W23 D5), with John Stones keeping that run going courtesy of a 98th minute equaliser against Arsenal last time out. 24 of these games have been in 2024, the longest run without a Premier League defeat from the start of a calendar year since Chelsea in 2008 (26).
• Newcastle have scored in each of their last 21 Premier League home games, since a 0-0 draw with Leicester in May 2023. It’s the longest ongoing home scoring streak of any side in the competition.

Newcastle vs Man City: Teams

Newcastle: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton, J Murphy, Gordon, Barnes.

Subs: Dubravka, Krafth, Osula, Livramento, Almiron, Kelly, Willock, Longstaff, A Murphy

Man City: Ederson, Walker, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Lewis, Kovacic, Bernardo, Gundogan, Grealish, Haaland.

Subs: Ortega, Stones, Doku, Savinho, Nunes, Carson, Foden, McAtee

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• Newcastle have faced more shots from high turnovers than any other side in the Premier League this season (15), while no side have scored more such goals so far than Manchester City (2).
• Man City have scored more goals (4) and had more shots (40) from outside the box than any other side in the Premier League this season. 40% of their attempts from distance (16/40) came in the second half of their most recent match against Arsenal.
• Harvey Barnes has been involved in a goal in each of his last four Premier League games for Newcastle (3 goals, 1 assist), his joint best ever run in the top-flight. Overall, he averages a goal or assist every 87 minutes for the Magpies (8 goals, 4 assists in 1042 minutes), the best rate of any player at the club (min. 1000 mins).
• Man City’s Erling Haaland has scored 10 goals in five Premier League games this season, the earliest a player has ever reached double figures from the start of a campaign in the competition. The Norwegian could become only the second player ever to score in each of a team’s first six matches of a Premier League season, after Sergio Agüero did so for the Citizens in 2019-20.

Newcastle vs Man City: What has been said?

Confirming the worst about Rodri’s injury in his pre-match press conference, Guardiola said: “This season is over.

“It is the worst news, but it is what it is.

“We don’t have a similar player, but the players all together can replace Rodri. We have to do it as a team and find a way.”

Guardiola was then asked if his team could cope without Rodri for the rest of the campaign. .

He continued: “If we don’t win, it’s because we miss Rodri.

“We are stronger with him, but he’s out for eight to nine months.

“He got surgery this morning, ACL and some meniscus.

“Next season, he will be here”.