Newcastle – Manchester City: a blistering opening act at St James’ Park 
Tuesday night, St James’ Park is set for a powder-keg: Newcastle host Manchester City in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final. The Magpies want to defend their title; City are desperate to lift a trophy they haven’t held since 2021.
Newcastle: a champion that’s not scared of anyone 
Last season Newcastle ended a seventy-year wait by winning the League Cup at Wembley — Isak and Dan Burn did the damage. A founding moment. Almost liberating.
This year the title defence is going fine: Bradford swept aside 4-1, Tottenham handled 2-0, then a quarter-final snatched in the 92nd minute against Fulham thanks to Lewis Miley.
Now the ultimate test: Manchester City, at home first, then a return at the Etihad in early February.
The Magpies can approach this clash with swagger. In their last four home meetings with City they’ve won two, drawn one and lost only once. And in the League Cup they’ve actually beaten the Citizens in their last two encounters.
Form is working in their favour too: three wins and a draw in the last four matches, a shootout win over Bournemouth (7-6), and above all a run of thirteen matches unbeaten at St James’ Park. Ten wins, three draws. A fortress.
Manchester City: a machine back on track, but a messy recent League Cup record 
City arrive in form too: twelve matches without defeat, nine wins, three draws, and an absurd 10-1 thrashing of Exeter to warm up.
But paradoxically the League Cup hasn’t been their playground lately: early exits in 2021-22, 2023-24 and 2024-25, plus a quarter-final lost in 2022-23.
This season they’ve put things right: Huddersfield, Swansea and Brentford were brushed aside. They’re back in the semis for the first time since their run of four straight titles between 2018 and 2021.
Pep Guardiola knows it’ll come down to the fine margins. He wants a positive result to take back to the Etihad and to avoid replaying the 2-1 defeat suffered here in the Premier League last November.
Their last win at St James’ Park came exactly two years ago: a 3-2 snatched in stoppage time thanks to Oscar Bobb.
Probable line-ups
Newcastle United :
Ramsdale ; Miley, Thiaw, Botman, Hall ; Tonali, Guimaraes ; Gordon, Woltemade, Barnes ; Wissa
Manchester City :
Trafford ; Nunes, Khusanov, Alleyne, O’Reilly ; Gonzalez ; Cherki, Foden, Reijnders, Doku ; Haaland
What to take away
- Newcastle are unbeaten in 13 matches at St James’ Park.
- City are on a 12-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
- The Magpies have won their last two League Cup meetings with City.
- The second leg will take place in early February at the Etihad.
Football Prediction Newcastle vs Manchester City
Both teams to score
Newcastle are irresistible at home, City travel well and don’t lose. Everything points to an open, intense game where both sides will find a way through. A draw looks very plausible.
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