Saturday evening’s Premier League action takes us to the Etihad as Manchester City play host to Newcastle. Last week Pep Guardiola’s all-star squad at least showed that they are human after being held to a draw against last season’s EFL Championship winners Wolves.
They were arguably given one of their toughest tests in recent times at Molineux, as they came away with just a point from their trip to Midlands. However, you do get the feeling that they will not be the only big club to drop points there this season.
In addition to that they were perhaps unfortunate to see Wolves even go ahead after their second-half opener looked like it had been somewhat brushed over the line with an errand head. At the end of the day, you can only play to the whistle and it was one that never came.
Their opponents Newcastle can also take umbrage at a refereeing decision going against them last weekend. With Rafa Benitez setting up his Newcastle side to stifle Chelsea at St James Park, it looked like a tactic that nearly paid off.
However, Referee Paul Tierney adjudged that Newcastle defender Fabian Schar had felled Marcos Alonso. From there it was left for Eden Hazard to slot home from 12 yards, as his late spot kick looked like being enough to deflate the Magpies.
But minutes later they were back in the game thanks to DeAndre Yedlin. From nowhere it seemed as if Newcastle had picked up an unlikely draw and also ended the perfect start to Chelsea’s Premier League campaign under Maurizio Sarri.
Unfortunately, Yedlin would turn from hero to villain in just a moment of minutes as he agonisingly turned a shot from Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso into his own net. A goal that meant that the Blues clinched a hard-fought win.
Newcastle came in for a whole host of criticism during that game for the way they setup. Considering they were at home, their tactics were viewed as incredibly negative as they played for what seemed like a draw and nothing more.
That of course is their right and Rafa Benitez will argue that why should he have to play expansive football, especially with the potential risk that will follow. So with that in mind, you would imagine there will be more of the same this weekend especially as they travel to the Etihad.
Should they try and open up, then it will be almost suicidal for Newcastle. You only have to look at how Huddersfield fared a couple of weeks ago when they visited the defending Premier League champions.
City ran riot as they recorded a 6-1 win and truth be told had Sergio Aguero shown more of a ruthless streak then they could have made the win even more comprehensive than it what it turned out to be.
Aguero once earned a five-goal haul on this ground against the opposition he faces this weekend. He might not get that many goals this time around, but he will certainly play a part in helping City return to winning ways. This should be a comfortable home win.