'They are still the toughest team to play against' published at 17:14 15 February
17:14 15 February
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Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has been speaking to Premier League Productions after today's loss: "It was a tough game, they are still the toughest team to play against. We were not at our best today.
"Goals change games, and the goal we concede early was a tough one for us. All the goals we conceded today we will look back on with frustration. It becomes difficult when you chase the game today, really tough.
"They ask so many questions of you, put you under pressure. They did not have a bundle of chances but they did what they needed to do.
"It's about growing for the next games and learning from today. When you come back into these arenas, fare better, that's the challenge."
Sutton's predictions: Man City v Newcastlepublished at 11:02 15 February
11:02 15 February
I am at this game for BBC Radio 5 live and there is no way Manchester City are keeping a clean sheet.
In fact, until I realised just how bad Newcastle's record is at the Etihad, I was thinking of backing Eddie Howe's side to win.
City have won the past 10 league games between the two sides here, and my old Blackburn strike partner Alan Shearer got the winner the last time Newcastle took the points at City - in September 2000 at their old Maine Road ground.
That all points to a City win for me, far more than their current form does anyway.
Let's face it, form does not really help me much anyway at the moment. Who could have seen Newcastle losing at home to Fulham in their last league game?
So I may as well say a hoodoo like this one will continue and City will get over the line, even if Newcastle do definitely have a goal or two in them.
I don't think it will make much difference who City start in goal, because Ederson and Stefan Ortega have both made mistakes this season, but it is going to be interesting to see who Pep Guardiola picks with the second leg of their Champions League tie with Real Madrid coming up next week.
🎧 Changing lives and the road to Wembleypublished at 19:08 14 February
19:08 14 February
Newcastle United Foundation chief executive Steve Beharall joins the latest episode of BBC Radio Newcastle's podcast to talk about the impact of the charity and the academy's future - plus why you should never doubt Magpies boss Eddie Howe on the road to Wembley.
Man City 'still the benchmark' - Howepublished at 17:47 14 February
17:47 14 February
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Eddie Howe says Manchester City are still setting "the benchmark" in the Premier League, despite recording 12 defeats in their past 24 games.
The Newcastle boss believes his team will need to produce "their best performance" in order to take points from their trip to Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
"I don't think you can necessarily look at their form over that period of time," Howe said. "I think you have to look at it over a much longer period of time.
"They have been sensational for so many seasons, which is so difficult to do at this level because of the standard of the other teams.
"You never know what is going to happen when you go to any stadium in the Premier League now, so I think that is producing something very interesting this year - but Manchester City are a good team.
"Statistically, they have been very strong at home. They are still the benchmark for me and we will have to produce our best performance to try to get something from this match."
The answerpublished at 16:58 14 February
16:58 14 February
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Earlier, we asked you to name the former Newcastle manager from a series of clues.
The answer was Sir Bobby Robson, who was in charge between 1999 and 2004.
Howe on Gordon injury, a 'pivotal' run of games and Man Citypublished at 10:45 14 February
10:45 14 February
Millie Sian BBC Sport journalist
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game at Manchester City (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Anthony Gordon is back in contention after "responding well to treatment" on his thigh injury. He has trained well this week without any problems.
There is "good news" on Sven Botman, who had a scan on the injury he picked up in the Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal: "We don't think there is any long-term issue there, but short-term there is still a bit of pain." He will most likely be unavailable this weekend.
He also provided an update on Dan Burn, who had to be substituted off last time out: "The initial look on Dan wasn't positive, but the scan was good. He has improved a lot very quickly this week, so he will be very close to being back this weekend."
Emil Krafth could have a part to play in the coming weeks, as the Magpies manage their injury concerns, and Howe described the defender as a "reliable and dependable" member of his squad.
This is the first of three Premier League games against teams that are sitting above them in the table, but he believes it will be "a pivotal and very defining few weeks" in the Magpies' season.
He watched Manchester City's Champions League play-off first leg against Real Madrid earlier this week and thought they looked "very close to being back to their best".
On Pep Guardiola's side, he added: "They are still a very good team. Statistically, they have been very strong at home. They are still the benchmark for me and we will have to produce our best performance to try to get something from the match."
However, Newcastle will be chasing their seventh consecutive away win and Howe believes their strong away form has been "important" for "building good character in the group" this season.
They will aim to get Alexander Isak into the game as much as possible, to counteract Erling Haaland's threat: "We need to provide the foundation to allow him to perform at his best level. In these types of games, he probably isn't going to get loads of chances but we need to try and get him in the right areas."
He believes Joe Willock has responded "really well" to the racist abuse he recently received on social media: "He was very calm and measured in his response. I don't think we saw a very emotive response, which I think is the best way to handle these things. He showed his maturity. He has already been through a lot in his career."
Finally, Joelinton should be "back fit and available" in time for the Carabao Cup final on 16 March. He is making "great progress" and he is "very positive and driven" to get back on the pitch.
Man City v Newcastle: Did you know?published at 14:12 13 February
14:12 13 February
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Manchester City have lost just one of their past 34 Premier League games against Newcastle (W27 D6), a 2-1 defeat in January 2019.
City have also won their past 15 Premier League home games against Newcastle – only three teams have had longer such winning runs against an opponent in English top-flight history: Everton against Fulham (22 from 1961 to 2018), Aston Villa against Sheffield United (16 from 1903 to 1921) and Manchester United against Luton (16 from 1955 to 2023, still ongoing).
However, Newcastle United have won each of their past four Premier League games on the road. Not since October 1994 have they won five in succession away from home, the only previous time they have done so in the competition.
Gossip: Magpies could not refuse Kelly dealpublished at 07:48 13 February
07:48 13 February
Newcastle United didn't intend to let 26-year-old defender Lloyd Kelly leave the club during the January window but found Juventus' offer of a loan plus a £20m purchase obligation too good to refuse. (Athletic - subscription required), external
Birmingham City had a great start at St Andrews, are currently flying at the top of League One and had home advantage in front of an extremely partisan crowd. With a little help from the officials, Eddie Howe's men still got through after fielding an almost totally second-string side.
The difference is that Howe's second choices are not far off the standard of his preferred starting XI. Manchester City, in comparison, huffed and puffed against Leyton Orient before squeezing through, but once again their strength in depth looked questionable.
Newcastle survived the transfer window without losing anyone, leaving them in a great position to attack their goal of finishing in the top four and make an assault on both domestic cup competitions.
Their obliteration of Arsenal last week (showing that the Gunners' back-up squad is also threadbare at best) was emphatic and set up a mouthwatering League Cup final against Liverpool.
It is decades since the ever-present hope and excitement at St James' Park has seemed so well founded.
Gossip: Barcelona line up Isak as Gyokeres alternativepublished at 07:38 12 February
07:38 12 February
Barcelona are monitoring Newcastle United's 25-year-old striker Alexander Isak as a potential alternative to Sporting's 26-year-old striker Viktor Gyokeres. (Sport - in Spanish), external
'You could feel the 12th man's energy feeding the players'published at 09:22 11 February
09:22 11 February
Charlotte Robson Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
I just love football and everything that comes with it. Except social media meltdowns. But everything else!
A week ago, I was worried about Newcastle's second leg in the semi-final after a poor performance against Fulham and an excellent Arsenal showing against Manchester City.
I had serious concerns that this fixture was ours to mess up, even though we went into it with a 2-0 lead. What folly!
We find ourselves here, a week or so later, in our second cup final in three years. We also advanced to the last 16 of the FA Cup for a bit of extra fun.
My nervousness about last Wednesday's fixture was less about the players and the performance they were going to put in, and more about the atmosphere at St James' Park. Newcastle are renowned for atmosphere but, for myriad reasons, it is not consistently the completely raucous cauldron it can be.
For some games, it has felt like the crowd has gone in complacent, thus quiet. But for this one, I was worried we would be worried.
What a buffoon I was to even consider that. The moment I got near the stadium the atmosphere was electric, and I could tell everyone was up for it as I was walking in.
It is a cliche to call the crowd the 12th man, but who cares? We were.
You could feel the energy feeding the players - fans roaring at every tackle, every ball won, every free-kick.
The joy carried through to Birmingham at the weekend - a different type of game, but one we found a way to win nonetheless.
As it stands, we have to simply beat top-of-the-table Liverpool for us to raise our first domestic trophy in 70 years. If we can generate that kind of atmosphere at Wembley, we might just do it.
Gossip: Magpies preparing a bid for PSV's Bakayokopublished at 06:47 11 February
06:47 11 February
Newcastle are planning a £33.3m (40m euros) summer bid for PSV Eindhoven's 21-year-old Belgium forward Johan Bakayoko. (Tuttosport - in Italian), external
The Magpies are also set to beat Barcelona and Real Madrid to the signing of Spain Under-19 winger Antonio Cordero, whose Malaga contract expires this summer. (Mail), external
Ask our pundit: Send in your questions for Nedum Onuohapublished at 18:26 10 February
18:26 10 February
Is there something you want to ask about a Premier League club?
Former Premier League defender Nedum Onuoha is ready to answer your burning questions and give his thoughts on some of the biggest talking points for a special Q&A.
Birmingham 2-3 Newcastle - the fans' verdictpublished at 09:53 10 February
09:53 10 February
Media caption,
We asked for your views on Newcastle's FA Cup match against Birmingham.
Here are some of your comments:
Simon: I knew this would be a tough game for us. Birmingham deserve huge credit but I thought that a much changed Newcastle team performed well, giving opportunities to players who do not play regularly to shine. In the end we battled and ground out the win. Nick Pope, Willock and Osula shone and Tonali managed the midfield when he came on.
Paul: Newcastle deserved the win. Some of the physicality shown by Birmingham was outrageous. At least three should have been sent off. All the intent was to clatter the player and ignore the ball. Credit the Toon for staying calm.
Geoff: Newcastle were technically better, Birmingham were physically better. All in all the better team won.
John: Battling performance after a big midweek game. Hopeful signs from Willock, Wilson and others of good form. Good to be fighting on the FA Cup front too but hope it doesn't detract from the Premier League
Alan: Real old fashioned cup tie. Very enjoyable.
'I want to give everything for this badge'published at 08:24 10 February
Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle, Willock said: "It's definitely been tough. When you have a good family around you, team-mates who are like your family and a manager you can speak to about anything, it makes it so much easier.
"The day after, we had the meeting in his [Eddie Howe's] office straight away. He gave me comfort and we spoke about it. This is why I have so much respect for the manager and team.
"I want to give everything for this badge because they have helped me through the hardest of times."
Image source, Getty Images
