The gameweek three actions of the Premier League 2022-23 season will continue on Sunday, August 21, when defending champions Manchester City travel to face a refurbished Newcastle United. The match will garner much attention among the fans, who are waiting patiently to see two financial giants take on each other.

Newcastle United was taken over by Saudi Arabia’s state-owned Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is believed to be run by the country’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, in 2021. Meanwhile, Manchester City is owned by the City Football Group, one of the companies in the portfolio of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family and a UAE minister.

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Both sides have had a strong start to their respective campaigns and are undefeated in the Premier League till now. However, the hosts had conceded nine goals against Manchester City in their last two meetings, without scoring any, which will be a point of concern for Eddie Howe’s side.

Newcastle United looks a defensively solid side in the new season, thanks to goalkeeper Nick Pope and defenders Fabian Schar and Kieran Trippier. However, Howe will hope for more output from his attacking lineup, which consists of Saint-Maximin and Almiron.

Manchester City, on the other hand, has displayed their usual prowess in front of the goal in their last two Premier League outings, scoring six times without conceding any. They are currently in the third position on the table and will look to dethrone Arsenal at the top.

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Team news:

Newcastle United

The Magpies will be missing out on Jonjo Shelvey, who underwent hamstring surgery recently. Other than that, Howe does not have any injury concerns. Ryan Fraser and Matt Targett are fit, however, are not ready for first-team action just yet.

Newcastle United is expected to continue with their 4-3-3 formation, interchanging to 4-5-1 while defending. Nick Pope will start under the bars after his heroics the last weekend and the defensive line is likely to be made of Trippier, Schar, Botman and Dan Burn.

Bruno Guimaraes is expected to continue as a deep-lying playmaker, with Joelinton and Joe Willock as the double pivot in midfield.

Callum Wilson is expected to start from the middle with Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron on the flanks in the attack.

Manchester City:

New signing Kalvin Phillips was absent in the previous matchday along with Cole Palmer, both of whom are expected to return against Newcastle. However, defender Aymeric Laporte is yet to recover from his knee surgery.

Manchester City is expected to start with an unchanged team against Newcastle United from their win the previous weekend. Ederson will be starting in goal, whereas Kyle Walker, John Stones, Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo will make up the defensive lineup.

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Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan will start in a double pivot, flanking Rodri in the middle. Star signing Erling Haaland will be spearheading the defence, whereas Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez will be starting on the flanks.

Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish might be handed cameo appearances on Sunday evening.

Probable Lineups

Newcastle United: Pope (GK), Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Willock, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Almiron, Wilson, Saint-Maximin

Manchester City: Ederson (GK), Walker, Stones, Dias, Cancelo, De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan, Mahrez, Haaland, Foden