How Man City can silence Newcastle “superstar in the making” as expert makes Premier League prediction

Nick Woltemade is a “superstar in the marking” for Newcastle United, but Manchester City will find a way to keep the striker quiet in Saturday’s Premier League contest at St James’ Park, Citizens expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole.

The Germany international joined the Magpies from Stuttgart for a club-record £69m in the summer and arrived on Tyneside with big boots to fill following the sale of star striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool.

With fellow new recruit Yoane Wissa yet to make his debut due to injury, Woltemade has featured regularly as Eddie Howe’s central striker and has made a promising start to life as a Premier League player, even though Newcastle have collectively struggled this term, scoring four goals in his first eight appearances in the division.

Woltemade has also scored in both the Champions League and the EFL Cup for Newcastle, while he found the net three times across two World Cup qualifiers for Germany during November’s international break.

The 23-year-old is now preparing for one of his toughest challenges yet against an in-form Man City outfit who have won seven of their last eight matches across all competitions, including a statement 3-0 home victory over reigning Premier League champions Liverpool a fortnight ago.

While McInerney would not be surprised to see Woltemade step up in Saturday’s ‘big game’ against Man City, he is confident that the Citizens’ backline will cut off the supply to Newcastle’s target man and their aerial improvements will help in their quest to keep the German quiet.

Why Man City are “capable of handling” Newcastle striker Woltemade

“He almost certainly will (cause problems), he's a quality player, and the relentlessness of [St James’ Park] and the energy will, of course, play into it for Newcastle,” McInerney told Sports Mole.

“Woltemade looks like an absolute superstar in the making. I'm really, really impressed with him. His touch is good for a big man, as the cliche goes, a really smart footballer. I think Newcastle have hit gold there a little bit.

“Of course, he's not quite at the [Erling] Haaland level in terms of goalscoring. Who is? But the start he's made at Newcastle, in a side that isn't absolutely flying right now, has been remarkably impressive.

“I think Newcastle fans love him, rightfully so. He’s got a bit of character to him, great touch, creative as well, good finisher, and of course, he's big. He's going to get on the end of those crosses, he's absolutely huge. He looks like an absolute phenomenal signing.

“He's flying right now, and I presume, given his mentality, given the kind of player he is, he'll be up for this game. Great players do step up in big games and Woltemade has all the hallmarks of a potential world-class player, so let's see how City handle him.

“I'm reassured of how good City have been in the air recently. Against Arsenal, for example, City were absolutely fantastic and [Gianluigi] Donnarumma punched everything away that day. [Ruben] Dias and [Josko] Gvardiol have been winning more headers than they have in their entire City career, it's been ridiculous watching them just bat everything away.

“I think it'll be a game for the physicality of [Nico] O'Reilly and [Matheus] Nunes as well at full-back, and if you can stop the wingers - [Harvey] Barnes, [Jacob] Murphy and so on - then you stop a lot of that supply for Woltemade.

“City have kept some very impressive strikers quiet this season, and Woltemade is another that they're capable of handling.”

Man City will ‘not be too fearful’ of Newcastle

Although Newcastle have struggled for consistency this term, sitting 14th in the Premier League table after winning just three of their first 11 games, McInerney is expecting a “difficult” game for Man City and a “battle” to take place at St James’ Park this weekend.

Even so, McInerney remains confident that Pep Guardiola’s men will prevail in what he expects to be an open contest, one in which goal machine Erling Haaland should “thrive”.

“It's not going to be easy. I know Newcastle have been inconsistent this season. There's a bit of Tottenham to Newcastle when it comes to Man City. They are absolutely up for a game of this magnitude,” said McInerney.

“Tottenham always seem to be up for it when they play City, and Newcastle have got a very similar mentality. City do tend to get the better of Newcastle, but it's never easy, especially at St James' Park, and especially when it's cold as it is right now.

“I've got a feeling this is going to be a difficult game, the physicality of that midfield - Joelinton, [Sandro] Tonali and [Bruno] Guimaraes in midfield, and then Woltemade’s been a cracking signing for them.

“They beat Athletic 2-0 prior to [losing 3-1 at Brentford], which was a good result for them in the Champions League... I expect [the visit of Man City] to be a very similar feel to a Champions League game for Newcastle, as opposed to the current Premier League form.

“I think City have shown a willingness to get stuck in this season that was missing last year, so I don't think City will be too fearful, but I'm expecting City will ignore [Newcastle’s] form against West Ham and Brentford, and they'll probably look at their reaction to Champions League games and how they played against sides of maybe a higher standard.

Haaland to “thrive” against Newcastle with “impressive” Man City win predicted

“I'm confident in this City side, though. I think the Liverpool game was fantastic. It felt like an announcement of an arrival of a new Manchester City side. The way City play, there are of course similarities to the older sides, the last great side of course was the treble-winning one. [The current team is] not that level, but it's changed an awful lot.

“The games are quite open right now, City are not quite as controlling as maybe they used to be - though they were much better on that front against Liverpool - but I think it sort of plays into the strengths that we've got.

“The games have come a lot more back and forth, and I expect that'll be the case against Newcastle as well, because Newcastle are going to feed into that atmosphere, they can't help it as a club, it's going to be an aggressive game. It'll be open, and City's playing style encourages that right now anyway, because there's a lot more transition football.

“That'll also feed into Erling Haaland and [Jeremy] Doku’s current form. They've both been sensational in the international break, which will help them with their confidence. Haaland right now is just riding a wave that's untouchable. He's in an absurd form, 32 goals (for club and country) in all competitions and it's November!

“I'm expecting him to thrive in this game as well, because I do think it'll be more end-to-end, and City are playing into that right now. I think [Phil] Foden will enjoy it. The experience of Bernardo Silva is absolutely necessary.

“I think this is one for digging in, it's going to be a battle of a game, but I'm not too nervous, even though it's Newcastle away, I think we'll be okay.”

Asked to provide a score prediction, McInerney said: “An impressive 2-0 away win. Keep a clean sheet, we're strong, and we see the game out.”

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