Manchester City vs Newcastle Predictions

• Man City have won 14 of their last 17 home games across all competitions.
• Newcastle have just one win in their last seven games.
• City won the first leg 2-0.

City on verge of final spot

Newcastle’s defence of the EFL Cup is hanging by a thread ahead of the second leg of their semi-final tie at Manchester City on Wednesday.

City claimed a 2-0 win in the first meeting at St James’ Park and the Magpies now face the daunting task of overturning that deficit in Manchester.

Pep Guardiola’s side have only lost one domestic home game all season, a defeat to Spurs back in August, and they’ve won 14 of their 17 games at this venue since – losing just once to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

Newcastle’s away form has been a concern all season with their only road wins coming at Union SG, Everton and Burnley.

City can finish the job with a win

Man City are the favourites to win and a straightforward home win offers enough value to be our main bet, rather than try and push it any further by focusing on handicaps or a potential win to nil tip.

A mixed January came to a conclusion over the weekend with a disappointing draw at Tottenham for the Cityzens but their home form remains solid with seven wins and a pair of draws in their last nine at the Etihad.

Newcastle were well beaten at Liverpool over the weekend in their own Premier League assignment. Eddie Howe’s men are now on a run of just one win in their last seven games across all competitions (D3, L3), with seven losses in their last 11 road games.

City did lose at Newcastle in the Premier League back in November but that is the Tyneside club’s only win in the last six meetings between these side, losing four of those games.

One concern is that City don’t need to win to progress to the showpiece, but they won’t view the tie as being over at 2-0 either so they should still be looking to extend that lead so they should still be expected to win this leg against a side who arrive in poor form.

Repeat result the correct score pick

City won the first leg 2-0 and the same again looks a reasonable correct score prediction ahead of the Manchester meeting.

As the holders, Newcastle should show some desire in the early stages but City have only conceded three goals across their last eight home games and their defence is strong enough to hold out. A goal for the hosts would effectively kill this tie off and surely take any fight out of Newcastle, while they have scored exactly twice in three consecutive games now including a pair of 2-0 wins.

City could make few changes to the side that drew with Tottenham and Tijjani Reijnders is one player pushing for a recall. He came off the bench at Spurs and tried to make an impact as he had two attempts in his 22 minutes of action. Reijnders went on a run of four goals in six games through December and January and if he is handed a starting spot he looks a contender for an anytime effort as he bids to reclaim a place in the first XI.