MANCHESTER, England – Manchester City will attempt to break their streak of late-game collapses when they face Newcastle United on Saturday in a crucial Premier League clash affecting European qualification hopes.
Pep Guardiola’s side has struggled with surrendering leads this season, most recently in their 3-2 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, where Mateo Kovacic’s misplaced back pass led to Jude Bellingham’s last-minute winner. With City’s Champions League hopes now in jeopardy, they must also focus on securing a top-four Premier League finish to ensure a spot in next season’s tournament.
Currently fifth in the table with 43 points, City trail fourth-placed Chelsea by two points, while Newcastle sits level with them in sixth place. Midfielder Kovacic acknowledged the team’s struggles but remained optimistic:
“I think this team is great, and everybody knows that we are not in the perfect situation, but we will do our best to change it. Saturday is a new day and a new challenge to be a better version of yourself.”
At the other end of the standings, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United prepare for a Sunday showdown, with both teams struggling in the lower half of the table. United sit 13th, having won just two of their last five league games, while Spurs are 14th, trailing by two points. During a visit to the Tottenham Stadium this week, King Charles asked captain Son Heung-min about Spurs’ form, to which Son admitted:
“We are in a difficult moment but we are working hard.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal, currently second in the league, will travel to Leicester City on Saturday as their title hopes suffer another blow. Kai Havertz has been ruled out for the season with a hamstring injury, joining an already depleted attacking lineup that includes Gabriel Jesus (ACL), Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli (both hamstring injuries).
League leaders Liverpool, who were held to a 2-2 draw in the Merseyside derby, will look to maintain their seven-point advantage when they host Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.
The weekend’s fixtures kick off Friday night, with Brighton & Hove Albion facing Chelsea, who will be without striker Nicolas Jackson for six to eight weeks due to a hamstring injury. Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca admitted:
“We didn’t think it was a big injury. Unfortunately, the scan showed it was significant, and he’ll be out for six to eight weeks.”
With multiple key battles shaping up, this weekend’s Premier League action could have significant ramifications across the table.