THE FA Cup represents the last roll of the dice for Newcastle United’s season as they welcome trophy-chasing Manchester City to a raucous St James’ Park this Saturday.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United arrive at this FA Cup tie with their entire season on the line. Languishing down in 12th in the Premier League, the Magpies’ domestic campaign has been a bitter disappointment. However, cup football under the lights at St James’ Park is a different beast entirely. Knowing that lifting this famous old trophy is their only remaining route into European football next season, expect a cup-final intensity from the hosts.
Standing in their way is a Manchester City side with their eyes firmly fixed on another piece of silverware. Pep Guardiola’s men are locked in a fierce Premier League title race with Arsenal, but the City boss rarely takes his foot off the gas in domestic cups. Armed with unbelievable squad depth, City know how to navigate hostile away grounds and will be looking to brutally end Newcastle’s only remaining source of hope.
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The betting angle: A do-or-die shootout on Tyneside?
For Newcastle, the game plan is simple: channel the energy of the crowd and turn this into a chaotic shootout. With Isak long gone to Anfield, the attacking burden falls on summer signings like Yoane Wissa alongside Anthony Gordon, who both have the pace to trouble City’s high line on the counter-attack. With midfield enforcer Bruno Guimarães snapping into tackles, it will be a deeply uncomfortable evening for the visitors. Newcastle almost always score at home, but their leaky defence—which has been their Achilles’ heel all season—is a major concern against elite opposition.
Manchester City, meanwhile, have the luxury of rotation without dropping quality. Even if Guardiola rests a few key names amid the title race, the likes of Phil Foden and Erling Haaland—who absolutely loves a domestic cup goal—will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing a fragile Magpies backline. Given the desperation of the hosts and the sheer firepower of the visitors, backing an entertaining, high-scoring City win offers excellent value.
- Our tip: Manchester City to Win & Both Teams to Score
- The longshot: Erling Haaland to score 2+ goals & Bruno Guimarães to be carded
How to use the bet365 bonus code
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📺 How to watch Newcastle vs Manchester City
- Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026
- Kick-off: 5:30pm GMT
- Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle
- TV Channel: Free-to-air on BBC One & BBC iPlayer in the UK.
About the author
Craig Mahood
Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun.
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