Preview: Newcastle United vs Manchester City - prediction, team news, lineups

Newcastle United and Manchester City will lock horns on Saturday evening for the fifth time this season in all competitions, this time in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

The Magpies have had mixed success against the Citizens at St James’ Park, winning 2-1 in the Premier League in November before losing 2-0 in the first leg of an EFL Cup semi-final tie two months later.

Match preview

Newcastle ended a three-match losing streak at home in the Premier League when they secured a much-needed 2-1 victory over Michael Carrick’s Manchester United on Wednesday night, despite playing the entire second half with 10 men.

Jacob Ramsey was controversially sent off before Anthony Gordon had his opener from the penalty spot cancelled out by Casemiro deep into first-half stoppage time. However, substitute Will Osula scored his first goal since September in the 90th minute to snatch three valuable points for the Magpies.

Sitting 12th in the table and nine points behind the top six with nine league games remaining, Eddie Howe’s side still have a lot of work to do to secure European football for next season while also attempting to progress deep into the Champions League and FA Cup.

Last season’s EFL Cup winners were unable to defend their crown earlier this year, as they suffered a 5-1 aggregate defeat to Man City in the semi-finals, before losing 2-1 at the Etihad in their most recent Premier League meeting with the Citizens a fortnight ago.

Man City could become just the third team to eliminate Newcastle from both the EFL Cup and FA Cup in the same season since Wimbledon in 1987-88 and Arsenal in 2007-08. However, it is worth noting that the Magpies have progressed from nine of their last 10 FA Cup fifth-round ties, with two of those triumphs coming against the Citizens in 1994-95 and 2001-02.

Unlike Newcastle, Man City dropped points in the Premier League on Wednesday, as they were forced to play out a 2-2 home draw with Nottingham Forest, who had City-linked Elliot Anderson to thank for scoring a 76th-minute equaliser.

Pep Guardiola’s title chasers have fallen seven points adrift of leaders Arsenal, and although the Citizens do have a game in hand, this gameweek could mark the moment when momentum and belief turns back in favour of Mikel Arteta’s side – more twists and turns cannot be ruled out just yet, though.

Before gearing up for a challenging Champions League last-16 clash with Real Madrid next week, Man City will prepare for their 11th FA Cup battle with Newcastle. The Citizens have advanced from the last two in the quarter-finals in 2019-20 and 2023-24, having only progressed from two of their first eight ties versus the Magpies.

Man City boast a strong record in the FA Cup, as they have won 18 of their last 20 games in the competition over the last four seasons, losing only in the 2024 and 2025 finals to Man United and Crystal Palace. In the third, fourth and fifth rounds, Guardiola’s men have won their last 23 matches in the FA Cup by an staggering aggregate score of 89-11 since losing 1-0 to Wigan in the 2017-18 fifth round.

While Newcastle have beaten fellow Premier League sides Bournemouth and Aston Villa to reach the FA Cup fifth round this term, Man City have benefited from three own goals in FA Cup victories over lower-league sides Exeter City (10-1) and Salford City (2-0), a joint-record for a Premier League team in one season along with West Ham in 2005-06 and Man City themselves in 2018-19.

Newcastle United FA Cup form:

Newcastle United form (all competitions):

Manchester City FA Cup form:

Manchester City form (all competitions):

Team News

Newcastle will be without the suspended Ramsey this weekend, while Bruno Guimaraes (hamstring), Fabian Schar (ankle), Emil Krafth (knee) and Lewis Miley (thigh) all remain sidelined with injuries. This game may also come too soon for Tino Livramento (hamstring).

Sandro Tonali has played 90 minutes in each of the last six games and will have his fitness assessed, while Nick Woltemade will hope to return to the matchday squad after missing the midweek win over Man United through illness.

Harvey Barnes has been involved in five goals in seven home FA Cup starts (four goals, one assist) and he is in contention to start again in the front three along with Anthony Gordon, while Osula, Yoane Wissa, Anthony Elanga and Jacob Murphy will all be hoping to force their way into the first XI.

As for Man City, Josko Gvardiol (tibial fracture) and Mateo Kovacic (ankle/heel) both remain sidelined through injury, while Nico O'Reilly missed the draw with Forest after sustaining a knock to his ankle in the win at Leeds last weekend and is a minor doubt to face the Magpies.

Considering that Man City travel to Real Madrid in the Champions League next week, rotation in a few positions could be on the cards for Guardiola this weekend, with James Trafford, Abdukodir Khusanov, John Stones and Rico Lewis among those in contention to earn a recall.

Nico Gonzalez, Tijjani Reijnders, Jeremy Doku, Savinho and Omar Marmoush will also be looking to return to the first XI, with Guardiola to weigh up whether to stick with the likes of in-form Antoine Semenyo and Erling Haaland in his lineup, the latter of whom played the full 90 minutes in midweek after recovering from a “little injury".

Newcastle United possible starting lineup:

Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Burn; Willock, Tonali, Joelinton; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes

Manchester City possible starting lineup:

Trafford; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Lewis, Gonzalez; Bernardo, Cherki; Semenyo, Marmoush

We say: Newcastle United 1-2 Manchester City

Both teams will back themselves to produce the performance required to prevail and reach the quarter-finals this weekend, although much may depend on whether Howe and Guardiola opt to name strong lineups or rest key players with other competitions in mind.

Nevertheless, an entertaining contest between two competitive teams is expected and Man City may just have enough to beat Newcastle, albeit by a slender margin, for the fourth time in 2026.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.