The first leg of the semi-final of the EFL Cup between Newcastle United and Manchester City will take place on 13 January at St James' Park. Newcastle United vs Manchester City: prediction, betting odds and statistics.
Newcastle United
Newcastle United struggled to reach the semi-final.
- The club advanced to the semi-final in the previous round only thanks to a stoppage-time goal that broke Fulham's resistance (2:1).
- Before that, the hosts defeated another Premier League representative, Tottenham Hotspur (2:0).
- As a result, Newcastle United's winning run in the EFL Cup now stands at nine matches.
- This club won the trophy in this competition last season, and it is worth adding that the team has reached the semi-final for the third time in the last four years.
Potential Newcastle United Lineup (4-3-3)*
Aaron Ramsdale – Lewis Miley, Fabian Schär, Valentino Livramento, Malik Tiaw – Bruno Guimarães, Joe Willock, Jacob Ramsey – Yoan Wissa, Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy.
Forward William Osula, defenders Valentino Livramento, Fabian Schär and Emil Krafth will miss the match due to injuries. The participation of midfielder Anthony Elanga, defender Jamal Lascelles and Dan Burn is in question as they recover from injuries.
Manchester City
Manchester City also progressed through the three previous rounds without needing extra time.
- However, the opponents were noticeably easier, and the club only faced a Premier League side in the previous round, when it beat Brentford at home 2:0.
- For Josep Guardiola's squad, reaching the semi-final was the best result in this competition in the last five editions.
- Since the 2017/18 season, the club has won the EFL Cup four times in a row.
Potential Manchester City Lineup (4-2-3-1)*
James Trafford – Rico Lewis, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nathan Ake, Niko O’Riley – Nico Gonzales, Tijjani Reijnders – Oscar Bobb, Ryan Cherki, Savinho – Divine Mukasa.
Defenders John Stones, Rúben Dias and Joško Gvardiol, as well as midfielders Oscar Bobb and Mateo Kovačić, are unavailable due to injuries. Forward Omar Marmoush remains with his national team. Midfielder Savinho may miss the game because of an injury. Also note the transfer of forward Antoine Semenyo, who moved from Bournemouth.
Referee
Chris Kavanagh (England)
Matches – 6 (the FA Cup and the EFL Cup, 2024/25–2025/26);
Yellow/Red Cards Shown (Including Second Yellows) – 26;
Average Yellow/Red Cards Per Match – 4.3;
Red Cards Shown – 0;
Fouls Per Match – 23;
Penalties – 50%.
Newcastle United vs Manchester City: Match Prediction
Newcastle United is one of the most successful clubs in this competition in recent years. The team has consistently reached the later stages (four consecutive quarter-final appearances), which culminated in winning the trophy last season. On their route last season the side defeated Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. We believe the club will make every effort to win this year as well, especially given that it is unlikely to achieve anything significant in the Premier League.
At home in the EFL Cup, Newcastle United is unbeaten in 19 consecutive matches (15 wins and 4 draws). With a high probability, the home team will at least avoid defeat this time as well, particularly since Manchester City have major problems with injured players, especially in defence.
Considering the hosts' attacking potential, it will be incredibly difficult for Manchester City even to secure a draw. In the three previous Premier League matches, Guardiola's side has failed to win any of them, largely due to the loss of many players. It is also worth noting that in the first half of the season Newcastle United managed to beat Manchester City at home 2:1. Therefore our prediction follows.
Prediction: Newcastle United Win Or Draw
* For each team the starting lineup is the one used in its previous match in this tournament.
