A look ahead to Sunday's encounter at St James Park
Newcastle United vs Manchester City
Date: 2.05pm, Sunday 12th January 2014
Venue: St James' Park, Newcastle
Referee: Mike Jones. Assistants: S Child, R Ganfield. Fourth Official: M Atkinson.
Odds: Newcastle 9/2, Draw 3/1, Manchester City 4/6
TV: Sky Sports 1.
Manager: Alan Pardew
Squad (from): Krul, Elliot, Dummett, Williamson, Yanga-Mbiwa, S Taylor, Santon, Sissoko, Tiote, Cabaye, Haïdara, Gutiérrez, Ben Arfa, Gouffra, Cissé, Obertan, Sammy Ameobi, Bigirimana, Marveaux, Remy, Ameobi
Injured: Colocinni, Taylor
Doubtful: Cabaye, Krul
Form guide: LLWWDW
Manager: Manuel Pellegrini
Squad (from): Hart, Pantilimon, Wright, Richards, Zabaleta, Boyata, Clichy, Demichelis, Kolarov, Kompany, Lescott, Nastasic, Garcia, Fernandinho, Milner, Nasri, Navas, Silva, Toure, Dzeko, Guidetti, Negredo.
Injured: Jovetic, Aguero, Rodwell
Form guide: WWWWWD
City welcome Micah Richards back into the squad following a hamstring problem, but Stevan Jovetic, Jack Rodwell and Sergio Aguero miss out once again through injury. Aguero, however, is expected to return next week. Joe Hart will return in goal after sitting out the League Cup semi final victory over West Ham midweek, whilst Matija Nastasic, Aleksandar Kolarov and Fernandinho are also likely to be recalled.
The Blues are in excellent form at present, unbeaten in the last fourteen games in all competitions, but manager Manuel Pellegrini is not underestimating the challenge posed by Newcastle.
"Of course, it will be a real fight. Newcastle in the last two games when they lost against Arsenal one or two weeks ago they were playing very well and they were fighting also for the first position in the table."
"Maybe in the FA Cup they lose at home against Cardiff but I am sure that playing at home they will be a very difficult team"
Newcastle are without the injured Fabricio Coloccini and the suspended Mathieu Debuchy, who serves the second game of a three match ban. Yohan Cabaye and Tim Krul face late fitness tests.
City's last league game at St James' Park ended in a 3-1 victory, with Sergio Aguero, Javi Garcia and Yaya Toure netting for the Blues. Overall City have won 61 of the 169 games played against Newcastle, with 38 draws and 70 defeats.
Prediction: Newcastle 1 City 2