Newcastle United vs Manchester City: prediction, head-to-head and probable lineups – March 7, 2026
One of the marquee fixtures of the FA Cup fifth round will take place on Saturday at St James’ Park in Newcastle, where Newcastle United will host Manchester City. Let’s take a closer look at the betting prospects for this showdown.
Match preview
Eddie Howe’s men approach this cup clash fresh off a crucial Premier League win over Manchester United (2-1), with Will Osula netting the decisive goal in the 90th minute. That victory snapped the Magpies’ home losing streak in the league and restored some much-needed confidence ahead of another battle with a fierce rival. In the league, Newcastle are stuck in mid-table, currently trailing the European spots by nine points.
In the FA Cup, Newcastle have confidently navigated the previous rounds, knocking out Bournemouth and Aston Villa. However, squad issues persist: suspended Jacob Ramsey will miss the match, while Bruno Guimarães, Fabian Schär, Emil Krafth, and Lewis Miley are all still recovering from injury. A possible absence for Tino Livramento further limits squad depth.
Pep Guardiola’s City continue their title hunt, but in their latest Premier League outing stumbled to a 2-2 home draw against Nottingham Forest. That slip allowed Arsenal to stretch their lead to seven points, though City do have a game in hand. Despite that setback, City’s form remains strong – prior to the draw, they had rattled off five straight wins in all competitions.
The FA Cup has traditionally been a happy hunting ground for the Manchester giants. Over the last four seasons, City have won 18 of their 20 matches in this competition, and their winning streak in the early rounds now stands at 23 games, with a remarkable goal difference of 89:11. Ahead of the Newcastle clash, Guardiola may well rotate his squad, with a tough Champions League tie against Real Madrid looming next week.
Probable lineups
- Newcastle United: Pope, Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Willock, Tonali, Joelinton, Elanga, Gordon, Barnes.
- Manchester City: Trafford, Nunes, Khusainov, Guehi, Ait-Nouri, Lewis, Gonzalez, Bernardo, Cherki, Semenyo, Marmoush.
Match facts and head-to-head
- This will be the fifth encounter between these sides across all competitions this season – City have won three, with Newcastle claiming one victory.
- Manchester City have won 18 of their last 20 FA Cup matches over the past four seasons.
- Newcastle have progressed in nine of their last ten FA Cup round of 16 ties.
Prediction
Meetings between these rivals this season have consistently been hard-fought, and this latest clash promises to be no different. Newcastle are traditionally strong at home and will be buoyed by their emotional win over Manchester United. However, City’s squad depth and cup pedigree might tip the balance – the slight edge in this tie goes to Manchester City.
