Manchester City finds themselves in a somewhat unfamiliar position coming into this Saturday. After dominating the Premier League from start to finish last year, the Citizens are currently looking up at four teams. They haven’t been playing poorly, but they dropped points in a 1-1 draw to Wolverhampton last week, and that has led to them being overtaken by other teams. City will look to get back on track against Newcastle United this week.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from the Etihad Stadium in Manchester at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 1, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on NBC.
EPL Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Newcastle United +2120
Manchester City -1037
Draw +818
Over/Under 3.5
Odds Analysis
It has not been a good start to the season for Newcastle United. The Magpies have just one point through their first three matches, and although they have played two heavyweights, they blew chances to pick up a result.
Newcastle squared off against Tottenham in their season opener, and they failed to convert their chances in a 2-1 loss. Joselu scored the lone goal for the Magpies, as Ayoze Perez couldn’t find the back of the net despite making some good opportunities for himself. In a 0-0 draw with Cardiff City the next week, Kenedy failed to make a penalty kick in the final minutes, costing Newcastle the full three points.
Even though they were simply dominated last week against Chelsea, they nearly took a point away from the match. Newcastle United had just 18 percent of possession, yet the score was tied for most of the game. Unfortunately for the Magpies, DeAndre Yedlin stook his foot out on a cross, leading to an own goal that proved to be fatal.
Manchester City started the season right where they left off last year. The Citizens won the FA Community Shield over Chelsea and ripped Arsenal and Huddersfield Town by a combined score of 8-1. However, they could only grab a point against Wolves last weekend.
Wolverhampton had a fair amount of chances, but Wolves received a decent amount of luck too. Manchester City rung shots off of the framework on three separate occasions, and they continually threatened around net. Those little slip-ups could be costly in City’s hunt to repeat as champions though, with Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham looking strong.
Key Injuries
Newcastle United will be without at least two players for this match. Florian Lejeune is a long-term injury, and he will be out until at least December, while Isaac Hayden is serving the last game of his suspension after getting a red card against Cardiff City. Jonjo Shelvey and Matt Ritchie are doubtful to play, but Javi Manquillo and Jamaal Lascelles should be available. Manquillo is currently listed as questionable, while Lascelles is probable.
There are five long-term injuries to note for Manchester City. Eliaquim Mangala, Claudio Bravo, Danilo, Philippe Sandler, and Kevin de Bruyne will miss this match. Danilo may return in two weeks, but the other four players will be out for significantly longer stretches.
Player to Watch
Bravo will miss the rest of the season because of a ruptured Achilles tendon, and that means Ederson is Manchester City’s lone goalkeeper. Ederson has played well during his time with the club, and he has been the first-choice goalkeeper over Bravo, but he will need to stay healthy now. An injury to him would be devastating, and that might be something that sticks in the back of his mind.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Newcastle have created a decent amount of pressure on the offensive end through the first few weeks of the season, and I believe the Magpies will score here. However, it won’t be enough to top a Manchester City side that will be determined to get the win before the international break.
English Premier League Odds: Manchester City 3, Newcastle United 1
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