Newcastle v Man City

Last updated : 24 December 2010 By BBC Sport

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew could opt to reinstate centre-backs Mike Williamson and Fabricio Coloccini, who have completed their three-match bans.Goalkeeper Steve Harper has overcome a shoulder injury, but Shola Ameobi is a doubt with a hamstring problem.

Manchester City are without Kolo Toure following his sending off against Everton, although Nigel de Jong returns after serving his own suspension.

Pablo Zabaleta is included in the squad despite recent head and ankle injuries.

Newcastle

Doubtful: Ameobi (hamstring)

Injured: Ben Arfa (broken leg), Gosling (knee), R Taylor (ankle)

Man City

Suspended: K Toure (one match)

MATCH PREVIEW

The Premier League's second-equal highest scorers go head-to-head at St James' Park, each hoping to add to the sackful of goals they have already scored this season.

The crowd wants the Newcastle team to play a brand of football to get them on their feet but that ain't going to happen all the time

Alan Pardew, Newcastle manager

Andy Carroll and Carlos Tevez are locked together in the scoring-charts on 10 goals, one beyond Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov, who of course helped himself to five in one sitting. Carroll and Tevez may have had their off-field problems this season, but both are keen to build on a successful first half to the season with the Golden Boot potentially on offer.

Much-maligned City striker Mario Balotelli was the surprise winner of the Golden Boy award earlier this week, as voted for by the journalists across the world, for being the most talented under-21 player. The young Italian has scored only two Premier League goals to date, a tally dwarfed by his number of tantrums.

City goalkeeper Joe Hart has urged his team-mates to get over the disappointment of missing out on being table-toppers at Christmas. City now embark on four crucial league fixtures in 11 days as they try to reignite their title aspirations. Home games against Aston Villa and Blackpool follow before a much-anticipated trip to Arsenal.

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew is hoping that some of the frost in his relationship with the supporters will have thawed following the club's 3-1 win over Liverpool in his opening game, although he acknowledges he still has to "win their trust". He has also banished talk of any of his leading players leaving the club and instead expects to strengthen his squad.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Manchester City are unbeaten in their last eight league games against the Magpies since Michael Owen scored the only goal in a 1-0 Newcastle win in September 2005.

• This is the third Boxing Day meeting between the sides. Newcastle won 4-1 at home in 1905, while Manchester City ran out 4-0 winners at Maine Road in 1977.

• Victory for City would ensure a first league double of the season, having won 2-1 at the City of Manchester Stadium in October.

• Newcastle and Manchester City have both amassed 40 yellow cards so far this term - a Premier League high.

Who will end the season with more Premier League goals, Andy Carroll or Carlos Tevez?

Newcastle

• Newcastle have traditionally fared badly in their post-Christmas fixture, winning only two of 16 games during the Premier League era.

• Victory last time out ended a run of five league games without a win.

• The Magpies have scored 19 goals at home this season, the equal second highest behind leaders Manchester United.

• Andy Carroll (10) and Kevin Nolan (8) have contributed two thirds of Newcastle's 27 league goals this term.

Man City

• Manchester City are unbeaten on Boxing Day since 2005, when they lost 4-3 at Wigan.

• City have the equal best away record in the Premier League, alongside Arsenal (W5, D2, L2), although Roberto Mancini's side have the better goal difference.

• Roberto Mancini's side are yet to register a comeback win this season. They have lost three of the four games in which they have conceded the opening goal and drawn the other.

• Man City's first defeat of the season came in the north east; a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Newcastle

Carroll: 10 goals (10 league); Nolan 8 goals (8 league)

Man City

Tevez: 10 goals (10 league); Balotelli: 5 goals (2 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Chris Foy

Assistant referees: Bob Pollock & Andy Newbold

Fourth official: Rob Shoebridge

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Newcastle (W3-1 v Liverpool, h): Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Campbell, Jose Enrique, Routledge (Ranger 74), Guthrie (Smith 73), Tiote, Gutierrez, Carroll, Ameobi (Lovenkrands 46). Subs not used: Soderberg, Perch, Best, Kadar.

Man City (L1-2 v Everton, h): Hart, Zabaleta, Toure, Kompany, Kolarov, Milner (Adam Johnson 46), Toure Yaya, Barry, Silva, Tevez, Balotelli (Jo 83). Subs not used: Given, Richards, Wright-Phillips, Boateng, Vieira.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport