Image source, Reuters

The long ball up to Aleksandar Mitrovic looks like it will be a regular Newcastle tactic today, and he is putting himself about well.

City are trying to be a bit more intricate but a neat move ends when Aleksandar Kolarov bends in an inviting low cross without a single team-mate in the area to get near it. Kolarov waggles his finger accusingly because Raheem Sterling checked his run.

City have not really got going in attack yet. Kevin de Bruyne tries a quick one-two with Raheem Sterling down the left but puts the ball straight out of play.

Newcastle are seeing more of the ball in the opening couple of minutes. They are pushing plenty of men forward too and Daryl Janmaat has just played in a dangerous low cross from the right, forcing Nicolas Otamendi to put the ball behind for a corner.

Newcastle Moussa Sissoko has the first shot on goal, within the first 30 seconds, but the whistle had already gone for a foul by Aleksandar Mitrovic on City defender Nicolas Otamendi.

Sissoko's shot from the edge of the area flew over in any case.

Newcastle get us under way.

Image source, Getty Images

No dogs or skateboards on the pitch at Etihad Stadium but, from the way Newcastle are lining up, it looks like Yoan Gouffran will play in central midfield, not on in his preferred position on the wing.

Kick-off is just seconds away...

Yes, you're seeing that right, it's a dog on a skateboard at Etihad Stadium  

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle have a big incentive to go for the three points too. Only once in their history, in 1898-99, have they failed to win any of their opening eight league matches. In that campaign, they actually went 10 games without a victory but still avoided relegation. 

It was extremely foggy in Manchester this morning, and a bit chilly too. It has not warmed up much in the last few hours, and is still overcast at Etihad Stadium, but visibility is a lot better now. 

City have a clear target in their sights too because they can go back to the top of the table if they pick up at least a point. They will really want a win, though.

Newcastle make one change from the team that drew with Chelsea last weekend. Jack Colback misses out because of a calf injury and is replaced by Yoan Gouffran, who is likely to play on the left with Georginio Wijnaldum coming into the middle.

Another Magpies midfielder, Cheick Tiote, is back from a knee injury and is on the bench.

Starting XI: Krul, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Mbabu, Sissoko, Anita, Gouffran, Wijnaldum, Perez, Mitrovic 

Subs: Elliot, Lascelles, Williamson, Tiote, Thauvin, de Jong, Cisse

Image source, BBC Sport/Opta

Pablo Zabaleta makes his first start of the season for Manchester City after recovering from a knee injury - the Argentina right-back's only other action came as a last-minute substitute against Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday. 

Eliaquim Mangala is also fit enough to return at centre-half and Fernando comes in for the injured Yaya Toure in midfield. 

In attack, City's £116m forward line of Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, David Silva and Kevin de Bruyne play together in the Premier League for the first time. 

Starting XI: Hart, Zabaleta, Otamendi, Mangala, Kolarov, Fernando, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, De Bruyne, Aguero

Subs: Caballero, Demichelis, Sagna, M.Garcia, Navas, Bony, Iheanacho 

Image source, BBC Sport/Opta

Mark Lawrenson thinks this match will end in a 2-0 win for City. "The Magpies were much better in their draw against Chelsea but I think Steve McClaren is right to tell his side's fans that there is going to be more pain before things improve significantly," reckons our football expert.

Take on Lawro - and football fans from across the world - by having your say on all of this weekend's fixtures in our football predictor game.

I bet that McClaren stat has given Newcastle fans a lift, but they are probably aware of their team's dismal record against City, who are unbeaten against the Magpies in their past 17 league meetings (W15 D2)

That is City's longest-ever run without defeat against a single opponent in the Premier League, and dates back to almost exactly 10 years ago: 24 September 2005, when Michael Owen's goal gave Newcastle a 1-0 victory at St James' Park.

This fixture is not all doom and gloom for Newcastle mind - they beat City in the Capital One Cup last year.

Image source, .

Guy Mowbray
BBC Match of the Day commentator at Etihad Stadium

Image source, Rex Features

"Steve McClaren never lost to Manchester City in eight games against them as Middlesbrough boss. It'll be a tremendous result for him - and Newcastle - if that run continues here.

"Visitors to the Etihad often come to stifle City, yet the Magpies' best hopes might lie in giving it an attacking go, with the potentially promising partnership of Ayoze Perez and Aleksandar Mitrovic up against a home defence that will again be without captain Vincent Kompany.

"City have lost successive Premier League games since being beaten at home by a team that wears black and white stripes. Losing to Juventus was much more easily forgiven than losing this would be."

If City's season has been threatening to come off the rails, Newcastle's is yet to leave the station. 

Along with north-east neighbours Sunderland, the Magpies are one of only two teams in the top four divisions in England yet to record a league win - Steve McClaren's side have picked up just three points from three draws so far, and were knocked out of the Capital One Cup by Sheffield Wednesday.

Hang on, though, could McClaren's luck be about to change?

All aboard the Manuel Pellegrini Express? Erm, maybe not...

Manchester Citybegan the season like the proverbial train but they have hit the buffers in spectacular style with defeats against West Ham and Tottenham in the past fortnight.

Image source, .

Wednesday's last-gasp Champions League winover Borussia Monchengladbachwas a much-needed lift for Pellegrini's men but now they need to follow that up with a positive Premier League result too.

Defeat would more than just dent their title aspirations - it would mean three league losses in a row for the first time since autumn 2008, right at the start of the big-spending Sheikh Mansour era at Etihad Stadium.