Man City v Newcastle: Magpies to act star-struck again

Manuel Pellegrini's two-up-top approach has been criticised after successive setbacks against CSKA Moscow and West Ham

Newcastle have a terrible record against Man City, which Michael Lintorn expects to continue in the Capital One Cup...

Man City v Newcastle
Wednesday, 19:45
Live on Sky Sports 1

Match Odds: Man City 1.341/3, Newcastle 11.010/1, The Draw 6.05/1

At first glance, this Capital One Cup fourth-round tie appears ripe for an upset. Man City are fresh off the week from hell, surrendering a 2-0 lead to earn a solitary Champions League point away to CSKA Moscow then being beaten 1-2 at West Ham in the Premier League to slip six points behind Chelsea.

Newcastle by contrast have consigned some of the "Sack Pardew" banners to the recycling bin by achieving successive Premier League victories after a run of one of 15 prior to that. If a 1-0 win over Leicester was unlikely to wow critics, a from-behind triumph at Tottenham demanded a little respect.

While the Magpies have flip-flopped from fifth to 16th to tenth during their current four-and-a-half year Premier League stay, one constant has been their ability to upset the elite. They have won at Arsenal, Chelsea (twice), Man United and Tottenham (twice), as well as twice defeating Liverpool at St James' Park.

However, they have never managed to get Man City on their hook, last overcoming the champions in 2005, since when they have met 17 times. Newcastle have come off worst in all ten collisions since returning to the top tier in 2010, losing nine in 90 minutes and taking them to extra time once in a cup clash on Tyneside.

Alan Pardew also has some selection issues, with the standard Premier League club Capital One Cup rotation policy compromised by the fact that the two guys who delivered for the first XI at White Hart Lane - Sammy Ameobi and Ayoze Perez - would usually be judged part of the second string.

Man City Clean Sheet

The Man City clean sheet looks exceptional value at 2.265/4 given that the Capital One Cup holders shut Newcastle out in each of their previous five showdowns, which added up to eight hours of football.

The Citizens didn't give up a single goal to any of their three prior visitors in the competition, scoring an obscene 18 goals of their own, while Newcastle have fired blanks in seven of their past 11 trips to fellow Premier League teams.

Half With Most Goals

Man City v Newcastle is a symmetry-heavy fixture, with the goals divided evenly between the two halves. Their opening weekend encounter this term was 1-0 at half time and 2-0 at full time, last season they contested a 4-0, a 2-0 and a 0-0 which were 2-0, 1-0 and 0-0 at the interval, and their two 2012/13 games had the same equilibrium between halves one and two, with two goals in each.

Four of Newcastle's six away dates at top-flight sides in 2014/15 have also seen the same number of strikes in each 45-minute segment.

Best Bet: Back Man City to keep a clean sheet @ 2.265/4
Other Recommended Bet: Back both halves to have the same number of goals @ 4.03/1