‘I’m going with’: Chris Sutton predicts who will win on Saturday between Newcastle United and Manchester City

Newcastle United are set to face Manchester City for the fifth time this season when the two sides clash in the FA Cup on Saturday night. The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports, with the controversial 8pm kick-off once again drawing criticism from fans.

City have dominated the previous meetings between the teams this season, winning three of the four encounters. That record suggests Newcastle will face a tough challenge this weekend. However, playing at home could give them a significant boost, as they have often enjoyed better results against Pep Guardiola’s side at St James’ Park.

Newcastle also head into the match on the back of a huge midweek result. Despite being reduced to 10 men, they managed to defeat Manchester United, while Manchester City dropped points against Nottingham Forest. Those contrasting outcomes could mean confidence levels between the two teams are very different heading into the tie.

Former striker and pundit Chris Sutton believes Newcastle can take advantage of that momentum and has predicted a narrow victory for Eddie Howe’s side.

Speaking to the BBC, Sutton pointed out that it is an important week for both clubs. Newcastle will host Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Manchester City travel to face Real Madrid the following day.

Sutton also addressed criticism of Newcastle’s season, noting that despite complaints from some fans, the club remains competitive on multiple fronts. They have reached the Champions League round of 16, made it to the Carabao Cup semi-finals, and are still fighting in the FA Cup.

While their Premier League campaign has not been as strong as expected, Sutton believes there are reasons for that, including the disruption caused by last summer’s Alexander Isak transfer saga.

Looking at the bigger picture, Sutton highlighted the progress made under Eddie Howe. In Howe’s three full seasons in charge, Newcastle have finished fourth, seventh, and fifth in the league while also ending the club’s long wait for a major trophy. According to Sutton, achievements like that show how much the manager has improved the club.

He also warned that successful managers are sometimes underappreciated, as fans can quickly begin calling for change once someone has been in the role for a while. Nevertheless, Sutton believes most Newcastle supporters recognise the excellent job Howe has done.

As for the FA Cup tie, Sutton expects Newcastle to edge it. After beating one Manchester club this week despite playing with 10 men, he believes they are capable of overcoming City with a full team on the pitch. Although Guardiola’s side have won three of their four meetings this season, Sutton predicts Newcastle will repeat the scoreline from the one game City failed to win — the Premier League clash at St James’ Park.

With Newcastle’s Premier League hopes fading, the FA Cup could represent their best chance of securing European football next season. If they manage to defeat Manchester City on Saturday, belief will grow that they can go all the way and lift the trophy.

And beyond the FA Cup, Newcastle’s Champions League campaign is still alive. Their next obstacle is Barcelona — and if they can overcome the Spanish giants, their dream of European glory will remain very much within reach.