Newcastle United

There are five games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Aston Villa v Leeds - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Brentford v Brighton

• Chelsea v Burnley - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• West Ham v Bournemouth (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Manchester City v Newcastle (20:00)

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to Aston Villa v Leeds" or "ask BBC Sounds to play West Ham v Bournemouth", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

This is the fourth meeting between these two clubs already this season, with another to come soon in the FA Cup fifth round - I bet they are sick of each other already.

Newcastle have a long trip back from Azerbaijan to contend with before this game but at least they have put their Champions League tie with Qarabag to bed already and can focus fully on City rather than next week's second leg.

The Magpies still have an awful record at Etihad, however - they lost here in the Carabao Cup in January and have never managed a win in 20 visits in the Premier League.

I don't think this will be easy for City, but I do think they will beat them, again, to move within two points of Arsenal.

The only thing I am not sure about is whether to captain Erling Haaland in my Fantasy team, because he has been out injured.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Having been drawn to face each other in the FA Cup fifth round, Manchester City host Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday (20:00 GMT) hoping to narrow the five-point gap between themselves and league leaders Arsenal.

The clubs have already played each other in a two-legged League Cup semi-final and could potentially meet again in the last four of the Champions League, leading to some cries of fatigue from their supporters.

Pep Guardiola's focus, however, will be solely on avenging a 2-1 reverse at St James' Park in November and using this game in hand to shrink the Gunners' lead to two points.

Citizens cane Magpies

City boast a frankly ridiculous home record against the Magpies. They are unbeaten in 21 and have won each of their past 16 meetings in Eastlands, the second longest home winning streak against an opponent in English top-flight history, after Everton's 22 consecutive wins over Fulham from 1961 to 2018.

The last six of those home wins over Newcastle have come without conceding a goal. Injuries have left City weak in central defence at times this season, but in attack they continue to possess an embarrassment of riches.

Amid increased competition for his place in the starting XI, homegrown hero Phil Foden is approaching a significant milestone. His next Premier League goal involvement will be his 100th for the club, an achievement unlocked by just five City players to date.

Toon's top-half travel troubles

Newcastle come into the game off the back of three straight wins in all competitions, but their league form has been far from good, with last week's 2-1 success at Tottenham Hotspur their first win in five attempts.

That result moved Eddie Howe's side 10th in the table but the Magpies' away record against teams starting the day in the top half is not an encouraging one for the travelling Toon Army; they're winless in 10 against such opposition, losing seven of those. Against teams in the top two, that record stretches to no wins in 37.

Harvey Barnes' impressive performances this season sparked rumours of a potential switch of international allegiance ahead of this summer's World Cup, although Scotland head coach Steve Clarke recently confirmed that the winger is concentrating on adding to his one England cap.

Having bagged a brace earlier in the season, Barnes is aiming to become the first Newcastle player to score home and away against City in the same league season since Alan Shearer in 2004-05.

Barnes and co will be aiming to fire Newcastle to their first top-flight league double over Manchester City since 1955-56. However, the omens are not good; they've played 20 Premier League games at the Etihad without a victory (drawn two, lost 18), the most any team has played at a stadium without winning in the competition's history.

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Manchester City at the Etihad (kick-off 20:00).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Yoane Wissa took a "nasty knock" in training so is unlikely to feature against City.

• Howe has no update on Bruno Guimaraes, while Tino Livramento and Lewis Miley are also still out - but Sven Botman could return to face City.

• The exchange between Kieran Trippier and Anthony Gordon about who would take the penalty against Qarabag has been "blown out of proportion", Howe says, and he has "no issue" with either player.

• Gordon's performance against Qarabag "delighted" Howe: "The Champions League has certainly got the best out of him and long may it continue."

• Howe said that "sleep was an issue" after returning from Azerbaijan at 4am, but the players should be fine before the City game.

• On being pushed forward by players to get his applause from fans in the stands at the end of games: "I want to improve my relationship with all my players at all times and I think the only way I can do that is working for them, investing in the person, and I have a big responsibility to help them - in good times and bad times."

• Howe said that City are the "benchmark" team, but insists that "every team is beatable" and that "we learn something more about ourselves and our game going forward every time we play them."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Got a question about Newcastle? Get in touch here and we'll put it to our experts

Newcastle's England winger Anthony Gordon, 24, says he will not let transfer speculation affect him after being linked with Liverpool and Arsenal. (Sun), external

Manchester City's English goalkeeper James Trafford, 23, is prioritising a move to Aston Villa over Newcastle United this summer. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle's four-goal hero Anthony Gordon and captain Kieran Trippier insist an on-pitch spat has already been put behind them.

The pair exchanged words during Wednesday's 6-1 drubbing of Qarabag when Gordon - having already scored a hat-trick - refused Trippier's request that he hand over a penalty-kick to Nick Woltemade.

In the aftermath, Trippier joked both he and Gordon may need to don boxing gloves in training.

Speaking to TNT Sports, Trippier said: "Obviously Gordy had scored a hat-trick and I think about other players and I wanted Nick to take the penalty.

"But also he [Gordon] is our penalty-taker, so he wants to score goals, as everybody else does, but ultimately he's the penalty-taker.

"Listen in football, emotions are high on the pitch at times, but it is what it is. He scored four goals, he was unbelievable today and now we move on."

On Thursday, Trippier posted an image on Instagram of him and Gordon embracing after a goal.

It was a landmark night for 24-year-old Gordon as he scored his 14th goal in 36 outings in all competitions this season.

Ten of his goals have come in the Champions League, meaning he is just the second Englishman to reach double figures for goals in the competition in a season, after Harry Kane's 11 for Bayern Munich in 2024-25.

On his clash with Trippier, Gordon said: "Listen, I understand everyone's opinion because I want everyone to succeed. We're a team, we should be in it together.

"But I'm an attacker, I'm the penalty-taker, so I want to score as many goals as I possibly can. But understood everyone's opinion.

"Emotions do get high, but he [Trippier] is one of my closest team-mates, he has been since I joined the club. He's done so much for me, so he's all right."

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Newcastle's 6-1 win over Qarabag in the first leg of their Champions League knockout round play-off tie.

Here are some of your comments:

Jim: Qarabag were poor opposition. They made lots of mistakes that left the game open for us. Newcastle did well to take advantage of the situation. I felt Newcastle should have scored more. Gordon scored four but the team all did really well and everyone played their part.

John: An excellent performance. The change in Nick playing a deeper role has been eye-opening in the last two matches. seven English starters bodes well with two of international quality to come back. The future looks positive to say the least.

Barry: Brilliant night, so proud of the lads. Pope would normally have stopped their goal, but had probably gone cold with nothing to do. Elanga still nowhere near the standard of the rest of the team and the difference Murphy made in his place was massive. Well done also to all our travelling supporters! HWTL.

David: Even for his MOTM performance, please try this level in the Prem Mr Gordon.

Kristin: Well done Newcastle but the biggest cheer should be for every single NUFC supporter who went to Baku - you were heard well and truly, and you all deserved that win. Well done to you all.

Neil: At what stage does Eddie trust the squad? Yes, great win but three youth players, who could have gained so much from 30 minutes. But no, must play the core team with a game with Man City three days away.

Watch and listen to BBC Radio Newcastle's Simon Pryde and former Magpies defender John Anderson, as they react to Wednesday's dominant Champions League win over Qarabag, discuss Anthony Gordon's four-goal performance and look ahead to next week's second leg and the next round.

"All the hard work was done in the opening 45 minutes," said Anderson.

"It could have been so many more.

"You would say job done, Howe can rest players next week.

"The second half was just about keeping it simple and avoiding injury because we have a big game on Saturday against Manchester City.

"Every time we went forward in that first half you thought we were going to score. We can just look forward to next week now.

"Recent months have been tough on the manager and tough on the players but the reaction to the Brentford defeat has been first-class.

"They took a lot of criticism and a lot of stick but the way they reacted against Spurs, against Aston Villa and again tonight has been excellent. They have shown a great attitude."

Watch a clip of Ando above - and hit play below to hear the full conversation or listen on BBC Sounds here

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

Anthony Gordon had already scored a hat-trick.

But the ruthless Newcastle United forward only had one thought in his mind at the Tofig Bahramov Republican Stadium.

Gordon had just won his side a penalty against Qarabag in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League play-off tie, and he was not about to hand the ball over after Kieran Trippier felt Nick Woltemade should get a chance to take the spot-kick.

It brought back one or two memories of the single-mindedness of Newcastle's greatest goalscorer, Alan Shearer.

In fact, after already netting four goals against Sheffield Wednesday, in 1999, Shearer told striker Paul Robinson where to go after his team-mate asked him if he could take a spot-kick.

So it was rather fitting that this was a night where Gordon overtook the Newcastle legend as the club's all-time top scorer in the Champions League with 10 goals.

Qarabag, in truth, played right into Gordon's hands. The sight of the rapid Gordon playing further forward than Woltemade appeared to catch Qarabag a little cold.

By the time they finally readjusted, and dropped deeper in the second half, the damage had been done, as Match of the Day pundit Thomas Hitzlsperger noted.

"I have to say I was surprised by how high Qarabag defended, and how they kept a high line in the first half when the Newcastle goals were going in," said the former Aston Villa and Germany midfielder.

"I was thinking: 'Are they not watching Newcastle and their recent games?' Why did they allow so much space for Gordon, who was brilliant all evening?"

Gordon has impressed in such a role away from home in recent weeks - opening the scoring at Anfield last month and setting up Jacob Ramsey's winner against Spurs last week.

He gives Eddie Howe's side something different through the middle with his movement and pace, and the Azerbaijan Premier League champions could not cope.

"He's been really good in that position," Howe said. "Looking back to the Liverpool game, where I thought he was excellent, he scores.

"He's shown he wants to play there and then he's got the quality to play there. His pressing today was incredible for us. That gave us the platform to rebuild off of his work.

"Of course, he's taken the four goals and will get the headlines, naturally, but his all-round game was really strong."

Read more on Gordon's record-breaking night

Newcastle United are interested in Chelsea striker Liam Delap, who is likely to leave Stamford Bridge this summer. Manchester United and Everton are also keen on the 23-year-old. (Caught Offside, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Pundits Leon Osman, Thomas Hitzelsperger and Guillem Balague join host Gaby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from this week's Champions League play-off first legs, including Newcastle's emphatic win in Baku.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentary on BBC Sounds:

• Qarabag 1-6 Newcastle

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

Anthony Gordon's words proved rather prescient.

"In the Champions League, teams are much more open," he said just a few weeks ago. "They all try to play."

Never was that more apparent than on Wednesday night.

This was a new stage for both sides, neither of whom had reached the knockout stages of the Champions League before.

But the gulf in class was staggering.

Eddie Howe showed Qarabag huge respect by naming a strong side, but the Newcastle head coach also knew the hosts would leave gaps.

Gordon, in particular, exploited them as he led the line.

The forward was so hungry that, even after scoring his hat-trick, he grabbed the ball as designated penalty-taker to take the spot-kick for his fourth rather than giving it to Nick Woltemade.

Kieran Trippier, the stand-in captain, still appeared to be a little annoyed about that as the pair exchanged words after trudging off the field at half-time.

But it summed up Gordon's ruthless streak.

In truth, Gordon and his team-mates could have scored even more on a night Qarabag goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski still, somehow, emerged with credit after making some fine saves.

Newcastle had 22 shots, 14 efforts on target and 39 touches inside the opposition box, but the visitors ultimately had to settle for just the six goals.

With the tie as good as over, Howe will now have the luxury of being able to rotate for the second leg at St James' Park next week - though you suspect Gordon will still be desperate to add to the 10 goals he has scored in the competition this season.

Listen to Gordon's reaction below or here on BBC Sounds

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, speaking to TNT Sports: "A tribute to the team today. We were really good in the first half. That's as good as we have played in a long time."

On not getting complacent at 4-0 up: "We wanted to keep the momentum in the second half. The game changed and they played lower on the pitch, which made it more difficult for us. Overall, it's a great day for us. We know the tie isn't dead or over, but we are in a great position.

On Anthony Gordon: "He was really good in that first half. He started the press and a number of his goals came from his attitude off the ball. He could have had more, but a very good display."

Hit play above to hear more from Howe or listen on BBC Sounds here

Did you know?

• This was Newcastle's biggest margin of victory in the Champions League, and they are just the second side to lead a knockout-stage game by five or more goals at half-time, after Bayern Munich against Porto in 2015.

• Gordon is now Newcastle's top scorer in the Champions League (10), with his four goals seeing him overtake Alan Shearer (six). He is just the second Englishman to reach double figures for goals in the competition in a season, after Harry Kane's 11 for Bayern in 2024-25.

• Gordon also overtook Shay Given to become the Magpies' top appearance maker in he Champions League (15).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Newcastle's first-leg performance

Come back on Thursday for a selection of your replies

Qarabag XI: Kochalski, Matheus Silva, Mustafazade, Medina, Cafarquliyev, Pedro Bicalho, Jankovic, Andrade, Montiel, Zoubir, Duran.

Subs: Ramazanov, Buntic, Mmaee, Addai, Daniel, Borges, Kashchuk, Qurbanly, Bayramov, Abbas Huseynov, Cabrayilzada, Badavi Huseynov.

Newcastle XI: Pope, Trippier, Thiaw, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Willock, Elanga, Woltemade, Barnes, Gordon.

Subs: Ruddy, Ramsdale, Harris, Joelinton, Osula, Jacob Murphy, Alex Murphy, Ramsey, Shahar, Neave.

Ciaran Kelly
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Eddie Howe will certainly need a settled Jacob Ramsey after influential captain Bruno Guimaraes was sidelined for two months with a hamstring injury.

Newcastle have lost plenty of matches with Guimaraes in the team, but Howe's men have tellingly failed to win any of the 10 league games the Brazilian has missed since his debut in 2022.

Yet Newcastle found a way to beat top-flight opponents in the FA Cup at Villa Park without their talisman last week.

It was a night fellow midfielder Sandro Tonali scored twice in a 3-1 victory as the visitors came from behind against 10 men and channelled their frustrations following some dubious refereeing decisions.

Howe said afterwards that he "always believed there was a way without someone" as he called on his players to continue to "step up" in Guimaraes' absence.

Ramsey will have been among those at the forefront of the manager's mind.

Howe had already made it clear to Ramsey that he needed to increase his numbers - even when Guimaraes was fit - and the summer signing responded with his first goal for the club in the 2-1 victory at Tottenham last week.

The emotion came pouring out of Ramsey as he roared in front of the away end after netting what proved to be the winner just a few days before his return to Villa.

Even team-mate Anthony Elanga "celebrated like I had scored".

"Everyone was so happy for him because he's just that type of guy who brings the energy into the team," Elanga said.

"He thoroughly deserved that. His performances over the last few weeks have been outstanding.

"He held his own against Paris St-Germain and did really well. From there, he just seems to have continued to kick on."

Read more analysis on Jacob Ramsey's role in Bruno Guimaraes' absence

Matt Jones
BBC Sport journalist

An impressive draw at Paris St-Germain in the final week of the league phase was not enough for Newcastle to earn a top-eight spot.

It means their route to the last 16 will be via Qarabag and Baku - a 2,529-mile journey.

The Azerbaijani outfit's fast start to league phase gave them enough of a cushion to cling on to a play-off spot, despite just one win in their previous six Champions League games.

Did you know?

• This will be the first meeting between the two sides in European competition and the first time both sides have played in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

• Qarabag are the most successful club in their country's football history, having won a record 12 Azerbaijan Premier League titles.

• Qarabag lost all seven of their games against English teams in European competition before a 2-2 draw with Chelsea in this season's league phase. Defeat by Liverpool made it eight losses in nine.

• Some 76% of Newcastle's goals in the Champions League this season have featured one of Anthony Gordon or Harvey Barnes as the scorer and/or assister (13/17). They were both left on the bench for the draw at PSG.

Image source, Getty Images

Key Qarabag player - Camilo Duran

The Colombian forward has four goals and an assist in the Champions League.

He grabbed a goal and assist in the team's historic win at Benfica. He also bagged two goals in the victory over Eintracht Frankfurt that kept qualification hopes alive.

The only Colombian players to score more in a season in the Champions League are Jackson Martinez (seven in 2014-15 for Porto) and Radamel Falcao (five in 2016-17 for Monaco).

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

Someone said to me earlier in the season, that they couldn't see one single thing positive about VAR. When I suggested the vastly improved number of correct decisions on the biggest calls he refused to believe me. The data bears it out, but in the Aston Villa v Newcastle FA Cup tie, there was the blatant evidence placed before our eyes. There was no technology available and this time it showed.

‌The offside Tammy Abraham goal was allowed to stand, Villa also benefitted because Lucas Digne would have been sent off had VAR had a look at his crude challenge and the penalty not awarded for hand ball 'outside' the box, was blatantly inside, by a couple of feet. Those of us with the benefit of replays got to have a second look, but the officials didn't.

‌I wasn't upset with the officials for getting these decisions wrong, they are human, they make mistakes and they didn't have the help they all welcome from the technology. The only thing that gets me, isn't even the idea that many people hate VARs being used at all, that is a reasonable point of view.

‌No, it is the fact that those three decisions would have been overturned most weeks and their good work would then be completely ignored by the Luddite fraternity.

‌Fortunately, Newcastle went through anyway after suffering these terrible decisions, but the word fortunately is doing a lot of heavy lifting.

Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter