Manchester City v Newcastle United
Some of us are pleasantly surprised that Newcastle remain unbeaten but this is where the run comes to an end.
Their form is testimony to manager Alan Pardew and his backroom staff and the way they have gone about this season, it has been built on an excellent young goalkeeper in Tim Krul and a steady back four, but Manchester City are just in a different league.
City have had half their squad all over the world playing football this week which may have an impact on them but this is a team now which has gelled under Roberto Mancini; they don't go overboard when they win 6-1 at Manchester United and don't panic when they do slip up.
The Carlos Tevez affair rumbles on but the best thing for City is that he's not even been in the country. It's bordering on the pathetic now from Tevez, I don't know who is advising him but even the players who get on with Tevez will be asking what on earth is going on.
The club have a financial investment in Tevez and will want to get as much money for him as they can in January but it hasn't threatened their form at all which is a remarkable effort all round.
Prediction: Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle United
Some of us are pleasantly surprised that Newcastle remain unbeaten but this is where the run comes to an end.
Their form is testimony to manager Alan Pardew and his backroom staff and the way they have gone about this season, it has been built on an excellent young goalkeeper in Tim Krul and a steady back four, but Manchester City are just in a different league.
City have had half their squad all over the world playing football this week which may have an impact on them but this is a team now which has gelled under Roberto Mancini; they don't go overboard when they win 6-1 at Manchester United and don't panic when they do slip up.
The Carlos Tevez affair rumbles on but the best thing for City is that he's not even been in the country. It's bordering on the pathetic now from Tevez, I don't know who is advising him but even the players who get on with Tevez will be asking what on earth is going on.
The club have a financial investment in Tevez and will want to get as much money for him as they can in January but it hasn't threatened their form at all which is a remarkable effort all round.
Prediction: Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle United
