VS 
Venue
Some unpleasant statistics:
Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 13 Premier League meetings with Newcastle, winning 11 - including the last seven. City have scored 30 goals during that run, conceding only eight.
Newcastle have never won a league game at the Etihad Stadium (D2, L7).
Newcastle have never won a league game at the Etihad Stadium (D2, L7).
City v United - Premier League era:
2012/13 Lost 0-4
2011/12 Lost 1-3 Gosling
2010/11 Lost 1-2 Gutierrez
2008/09 Lost 1-2 Carroll
2007/08 Lost 1-3 Martins
2006/07 Drew 0-0
2005/06 Lost 0-3
2004/05 Drew 1-1 Shearer
2003/04 Lost 0-1
2002/03 Lost 0-1*
2000/01 Won 1-0 Shearer*
1995/96 Drew 3-3 Albert 2, Asprilla*
1994/95 Drew 0-0*
1993/94 Lost 1-2 Sellars*
1993/94 Drew 1-1 Jeffrey (LC)*
(*At Maine Road - all others at CoM/Etihad Stadium)
2012/13 Lost 0-4
2011/12 Lost 1-3 Gosling
2010/11 Lost 1-2 Gutierrez
2008/09 Lost 1-2 Carroll
2007/08 Lost 1-3 Martins
2006/07 Drew 0-0
2005/06 Lost 0-3
2004/05 Drew 1-1 Shearer
2003/04 Lost 0-1
2002/03 Lost 0-1*
2000/01 Won 1-0 Shearer*
1995/96 Drew 3-3 Albert 2, Asprilla*
1994/95 Drew 0-0*
1993/94 Lost 1-2 Sellars*
1993/94 Drew 1-1 Jeffrey (LC)*
(*At Maine Road - all others at CoM/Etihad Stadium)
Likely NUFC team:
<krul>
<debuchy> <saylor> <colo>
<hba> <cabaye> <tiote> <guti>
<cisse> <sham>
<debuchy> <saylor> <colo>
<hba> <cabaye> <tiote> <guti>
<cisse> <sham>
After what has been one of the most underwhelming summer transfer windows in recent years, in which we saw Perch, Simpson, Llambias and Harper leave, with only Remy on loan and Joe Kinnear coming in, Newcastle United look to put the previous season behind them by trying to best previous champions Manchester City in a battle royal fight to the death - Or football match, one of the two.
This pre-season has not been that great for us, starting brightly against motherwell with a 4-2 win, things went decidedly downhill from there. A following 3-1 loss to Rio Ave left many having flashbacks of the disaster that was the 2012/13 season, and these fears were compounded in a 1-1 draw against Paco de Ferreira in a game that could best be described as a brawl - in which Coloccini was sent off late on for attempted murder.
A sudden upturn in pre-season fortunes was found in a 1-0 win against Blackpool and a 2-0 win against the might St. Mirren. Unfortunately the end mired these massive wins, with 4 penalties conceded in the 3 final games, leading to a 1-1 draw against both Rangers and Braga then culminating in a behind closed doors 3-1 loss to Liverpool.
Looking at the stats, and the team likely to be fielded by Man City, we could perhaps then be forgiven for looking at this opening match with a tinge of glumness amongst the excitement of the season finally returning. Despite this I feel that instead of resignation, we should look at this game as a way to see how well we can do when there's no real pressure.
There are a number of positives to take from the start of this season - the main being Hatem Ben Arfa being fit! Fans can complain that there are too many times he overruns the ball, causing an attack to breakdown, but for every failed attempt there are 5/6 brilliant displays of footballing magnificence; something we sorely lacked throughout last season and something that can make a match where we are expected to be battered that bit more exciting, perhaps giving us that little bit of hope that we'll grab something from it.
How can we forget the magnificent form Shola has been in this pre-season? Clearly the reignited explosive striker he once was, the big man will be fighting Cissé for top scorer this season - Remy should have joined in January, before he had such fierce competition. We may not have made any signings that are available for tomorrow, but joking aside, there was no real time last season we could field a team as strong as the one likely to face Man City. An incredibly bad season for injuries, only made worse by the extra matches provided by getting to the Quarter Finals of the Europa League hindered our Premier League performance massively, something we should see less of against Man City now that we have a full team once more.
Having not really moved forward with the extra money provided by TV deals this year whilst other teams bring in top players, there's a fear that we'll once again be dragged into a relegation battle, one which we may not be as lucky to win for a second time. This being Newcastle United though, we're just as likely to win the league - as I've been told many times before: It's Never Boring Supporting NUFC.
This pre-season has not been that great for us, starting brightly against motherwell with a 4-2 win, things went decidedly downhill from there. A following 3-1 loss to Rio Ave left many having flashbacks of the disaster that was the 2012/13 season, and these fears were compounded in a 1-1 draw against Paco de Ferreira in a game that could best be described as a brawl - in which Coloccini was sent off late on for attempted murder.
A sudden upturn in pre-season fortunes was found in a 1-0 win against Blackpool and a 2-0 win against the might St. Mirren. Unfortunately the end mired these massive wins, with 4 penalties conceded in the 3 final games, leading to a 1-1 draw against both Rangers and Braga then culminating in a behind closed doors 3-1 loss to Liverpool.
Looking at the stats, and the team likely to be fielded by Man City, we could perhaps then be forgiven for looking at this opening match with a tinge of glumness amongst the excitement of the season finally returning. Despite this I feel that instead of resignation, we should look at this game as a way to see how well we can do when there's no real pressure.
There are a number of positives to take from the start of this season - the main being Hatem Ben Arfa being fit! Fans can complain that there are too many times he overruns the ball, causing an attack to breakdown, but for every failed attempt there are 5/6 brilliant displays of footballing magnificence; something we sorely lacked throughout last season and something that can make a match where we are expected to be battered that bit more exciting, perhaps giving us that little bit of hope that we'll grab something from it.
How can we forget the magnificent form Shola has been in this pre-season? Clearly the reignited explosive striker he once was, the big man will be fighting Cissé for top scorer this season - Remy should have joined in January, before he had such fierce competition. We may not have made any signings that are available for tomorrow, but joking aside, there was no real time last season we could field a team as strong as the one likely to face Man City. An incredibly bad season for injuries, only made worse by the extra matches provided by getting to the Quarter Finals of the Europa League hindered our Premier League performance massively, something we should see less of against Man City now that we have a full team once more.
Having not really moved forward with the extra money provided by TV deals this year whilst other teams bring in top players, there's a fear that we'll once again be dragged into a relegation battle, one which we may not be as lucky to win for a second time. This being Newcastle United though, we're just as likely to win the league - as I've been told many times before: It's Never Boring Supporting NUFC.
Links will be added here closer to the game for those that don't have Sky, prioritised from highest quality to lowest.
'sburg dynasty is over 3 seasons, 3 division 1 titles. 
