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The Premier League pace setters, Manchester City, against the season’s surprise package (Newcastle United) is one of a number of mouthwatering ties on offer this weekend.
Norwich v Arsenal, Chelsea v Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa are all promising. However it is the clash between the league’s only unbeaten pair at the Etihad Stadium that will attract more attention than your regular 3pm GMT kick off.
Manchester City host Newcastle United on Saturday. Two sides that merit their achievements thus far, but two teams whose realistic ambitions remain streets apart.
City top the table ahead of their Manchester rivals United by five points and six ahead of third place Newcastle. No matter the impressive start of both sides, even the most of optimistic Magpies fan will admit his club won’t be occupying a Champions League place come the end of the season. City, however, are expected to remain at the business end of the league, making them obvious favourites for this weekend’s clash.
After being taken over in 2008 by the Abu Dhabi United Group, it has been a patient rise to stardom for City, but this is the year that many feel they will make their most significant title charge to date. Twenty ten’s fifth place finish was bettered last season with a top three triumph, so who’s to say 2012 won’t be the year City lift the Premier League title?
Newcastle too are a club on the rise but of a whole different perspective. After playing Championship football only two seasons ago it’s a remarkable turnaround to find the Magpies sitting with the country’s elite. This will only be temporary, but it would be deemed catastrophic if Newcastle weren’t to better last season’s 12th place finish; showing how far the club has come since regaining their top flight status.
Despite their differing transfer budgets and wage bills, these two clubs do have their similarities. They both are protecting unbeaten starts to their league campaigns and both opted to sell the naming rights to their ground for commercial gain. More interestingly they also both played at Wembley in May 1999, and it’s this fixture at the home of football that scales the true measure of City’s meteoric rise to the summit of the English game.
On 30 May 1999 City overcame Gillingham in the Division Two play-off final, only a week after their north-west rivals United lifted the FA Cup at the expense of Ruud Gullit’s Newcastle. Eleven years on and City find themselves favourites for the title and playing Champions League football for the first time in their history, with the taste of Football League promotions a distant memory.
Players like Sergio Aguero and David Silva could tell you little about City’s history and heritage. However it is the likes of these players that will determine the future of this club.
Newcastle too are a team very much looking to the future. Manager Alan Pardew has built a side ready to establish itself in the top half of the league, with thoughts of fighting relegation again firmly put to one side.
This weekend’s meeting will be the toughest fixture to date for Newcastle. However if City show any complacency the visitors have proved this season they are ready to take full advantage.
Last season Newcastle were unfortunate to leave Eastlands empty handed, adding to the misery of Hatem Ben Arfa’s horrific leg break early in the game.&nbsp;This season though will be a different encounter. Both sides have fresh personnel and both look a lot stronger outfits than those that fought out that 2-1 City win last October.
With City currently the league’s highest scorers and Newcastle boasting the top flight’s tightest defence; the neutral will hope something has to give between two teams looking to preserve their unbeaten league records.

Manchester City vs Newcastle United: Two Teams On The Rise

Manchester City vs Newcastle United: Two Teams On The Rise  - World Soccer Talk

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On the back of arguably their best result of the season so far, Newcastle United host Everton tomorrow (in the early kickoff) in their bid to make it 14 unbeaten in the Premier League.
The Magpies climbed to third on Monday evening with a 3-1 away to Stoke City, condemning the hosts to their first home league defeat of the season.
A different type of pressure will face Alan Pardew’s men tomorrow though as they will go into the game as slight favourites over their Merseyside visitors. The Toffees have lost five out of their nine league games this season, so to claim victory at St James’ Park against an unbeaten Newcastle will be a tough ask for David Moyes’ men.
It’s the Magpies significant improvement in defence which has provided a platform for their success, conceding only five league goals in open play this season.
A thankless list of fixtures awaits Newcastle following tomorrow’s game, putting extra importance on claiming three more points. Consecutive away days in Manchester face Pardew and his players, before they return to Tyneside to host Chelsea in early December.
Tomorrow’s lunch time clash with Everton may be on paper the easier of Newcastle’s next four fixtures. However despite a lack of investment in recent seasons the Toffees are still a force to be reckoned with.
Their lowly league position of sixteenth is no representation of the players Moyes has at his disposal, with a mid-table finish a more than achievable target.
With the financial restraints at Goodison Park holding Everton back from breaking into the top five, people forget the quality the side still boasts. Players like Royston Drenthe, Jack Rodwell, Louis Saha, Marouane Fellaini (suspended) and Leighton Baines are all of international pedigree, so to think a home game against the Toffees will be easy you’ll be very much mistaken. Tim Cahill is another threat for Everton. However he’s doubtful with injury.
This should be an exciting game for the neutral. The two sides with similar ambitions for the season meet in the first live game of the weekend.
A win for Newcastle will see them temporarily climb above Manchester United. However the Red Devils can re-claim second spot with a win over Sunderland at Old Trafford later the same day.
Newcastle will go into this game favourites to claim yet another victory, but any hint of complacency from the home side will be punished by a side desperate to get their season up and running.
The Magpies will be without winger Gabriel Obertan because of a toe infection, so an opportunity could fall the way of fellow Frenchman Sylvain Marveaux. Cheik Tiote, meamwhile, is doubtful for the game due to injury.
Everton were the last side to win at St James’ Park but a repeat of last season’s 2-1 victory will be a difficult ask as the hosts look to make it 11 league games unbeaten this season.

Newcastle United vs Everton Preview: Injury Doubts For Both Teams

Newcastle United vs Everton Preview: Injury Doubts For Both Teams - World Soccer Talk

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After surrendering the only unbeaten record in English football to Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday evening, Newcastle could be forgiven for seeking an easier task than a trip to the Britannia Stadium for their next outing.
The Magpies went in to the mid-week Carling Cup tie at Ewood Park the only English club unbeaten in all competitions this season. Conceding in the final minute of extra time saw to that though, as Alan Pardew’s side went down 4-3 in what was a lively encounter.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for Newcastle after recovering from a two goal deficit, however it is that never say die attitude that boss Pardew will require from his team when they travel to Stoke City on Monday evening in the Premier League.
Barring current title favourites Manchester City, the Magpies are the only side that remain unbeaten in the top flight, sitting alongside Chelsea in fourth spot on 19 points.
Monday’s trip to Stoke could prove to be Newcastle’s toughest test of the season so far, with no team yet to win at the Britannia in the league this season.
If the Magpies aim to extend their unbeaten league run to 13 games they will have to match Tony Pulis’ men for physicality, as well as deal with the electrifying atmosphere the City fans provide. Better footballing teams than Newcastle have come away from the Britannia empty handed in the past; making it imperative the Magpies are equal to their hosts in all departments.
Pardew will be hoping he can call upon both Steven Taylor and Cheik Tiote, both of whom are doubtful with a broken nose and a knee problem respectively.
Newcastle won’t want reminding of last season’s demolition at Stoke, as the Potters completed the league double over the Magpies with a 4-0 win. A tighter affair is expected this time out though, with the visitors currently boasting the tightest defence in the league – conceding only six goals.
Even the most of optimistic Newcastle fans couldn’t have predicted this start to the season, however it is tough trips to the likes of Stoke that will really show Pardew what his side are made of.
If Newcastle cope with the physical side of Stoke’s game then there is no reason why they can’t continue their unbeaten league run. Much has been made of Newcastle’s team spirit this season, and that will no doubt be called upon in what will be a thankless 90 minutes of football.
Pardew’s men have remained unscathed from whatever the Premier League has thrown at them this season, so confidence will no doubt be high within the visiting camp and the travelling support.
Approximately 4,500 Geordies descended on Blackburn in mid-week and it is their unquestionable support that Newcastle will look to as a 12th man to combat the increased noise the Potters’ fans never fail to provide.
Stoke’s impressive home form stands in the Magpies’ way. A tough test will no doubt ensue, but it’s how the visitors respond which will determine the outcome of this game.
If Newcastle are up for a physical battle there is no reason why they can’t come away with at least a point in what will be one of their toughest games of the season.

Newcastle United Must Be Up for Physical Test at Stoke City

Newcastle United Must Be Up for Physical Test at Stoke City - World Soccer Talk

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As the dust settles on yet another disappointing outing in the Premier League for Sunderland, fans on Wearside have lost patience with boss Steve Bruce.
The 2-1 defeat to top flight new boys Norwich City on Monday evening leaves the Black Cats 14th in the table and still seeking their first away win.
League positions in the table matter little at this early stage of the season, but it is Bruce’s tactical prowess, or lack of it, that Sunderland fans blame for their poor start.
As we all know in football, one good result can turn everything around so talk of a managerial casualty after only six league games is surely premature? As a football fan you would hope so.
One consideration must be the huge overhaul of players on Wearside over the summer. Bruce brought nine new faces to the club in a busy close season, so time must be given for such players to find their feet with their new employers. Some critics are of the opinion that time is up though, and with every failing on the pitch comes more pressure for the former Wigan boss to get it right.
After finishing in the top half last season Sunderland are aiming to establish themselves within the next tier of top flight teams. Of course it’s far too early to be writing off their chances of such an achievement, but a severe turnaround is required if a European challenge is to be a realistic target.
Despite the Black Cats’ 10th place finish last term, since the turn of the year they have only managed seven wins from a possible 27 in all competitions, drawing five and losing a staggering 15. It is such a stat that gives fans ammunition for their frustration.
Football fans in the North East can be hard to rival when it comes to craving success, and that is what is working to Bruce’s disadvantage at present.
After only six weeks of the new campaign sacking the former Manchester United captain could prove costly, as we all know bringing in a new manager doesn’t always guarantee you success. That said though, if poor results continue to mount up then owner Ellis Short and Chairman Niall Quinn will undoubtedly have a decision to make.
There’s always risk, and only sometimes reward, when sacking your manager. If the Sunderland board remain patient it’s not unthinkable for the club to have a successful season, given the players they recruited in the summer. On the other hand if the club’s fortunes don’t take a positive turn it could be better to act before it’s too late.
To many in the country it would probably be deemed a harsh dismissal, but as we’ve seen on numerous occasions football is an unforgiving industry. A difference in opinion will always arise with the dismissal of a top flight manager, but the only opinions that matter are that of Short and Quinn.
With the nature of Quinn don’t be surprised to see Bruce given more time to turn it around, however if results continue as they are there will unfortunately only be one outcome for the Black Cats’ boss.

Pressure Mounts On Sunderland To Sack Steve Bruce

Pressure Mounts On Sunderland To Sack Steve Bruce - World Soccer Talk

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It’s September 17, 1997 and Newcastle United are about to embark on their first Champions League campaign. La Liga runners-up Barcelona provide the opposition, boasting names such as Rivaldo, Luis Figo and Luis Enrique.
Newcastle were going into the unknown. After finishing runners-up in the Premier League to Manchester United the previous season, Kenny Dalglish’s side deserved their chance with Europe’s elite.&nbsp;Few gave the Magpies a chance, after all they were making their Champions League debut against the side who had won this competition only five years prior.
Without the injured Alan Shearer, and with the summer departure of Les Ferdinand to Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle were without a prolific goal-scorer. They had little in the way of an attacking threat.
Young summer recruit Jon Dahl Tomasson found himself with a starting role in attack, in what was the biggest game of his career so far. Tomasson had finished SC Heerenveen’s top scorer the season prior, but for all his goals in the Eredivisie he was completely inexperienced at this level.
That however didn’t matter, as his strike partner for the night was about to put on a show that even the most optimistic of Newcastle fans couldn’t have imagined.

Colombian striker Faustino Asprilla had obviously not read the script, as he went on to score a hat-trick against a world class opposition on a night that has gone down as one of the greatest in Newcastle United’s history.
Fourteen years on and I’m sat in a city centre cocktail bar, ready to meet Newcastle’s hat-trick hero of ’97. Given his laid back approach on the pitch it was no little surprise to me that he was running late.
Upon arrival I wasn’t surprised with his attire too; Torn, denim shorts and a plain run-of-the-mill Italia t-shirt. He cut the figure of a man who cares little for his appearance. Of course that doesn’t matter, but I found it humorous how one’s style of play on the pitch could be reflected so much in his choice of clothing.
“Thank you for welcoming me,” he said, before ordering a sparkling water from the waitress who is clearly unaware of the status of the man she is serving.
“I like coming to Newcastle, I try to come here as much as I can when I am nearby,” he explain3e via Carlos his interpreter.
The bar is relatively busy, but I doubt there is one drinker who has noticed the company I am in. It’s hard to believe that these people are in the presence of a man who provided the city of Newcastle with one of its greatest footballing nights, and yet he simply fades into the background.
After he explained to me he had simply returned to visit the area, it didn’t take long before we were on to the important stuff – that night against Catalan giants Barcelona.
Asprilla, or Tino as he’s better known in these parts, initially played down the achievement, yet it was still clear this was a highly regarded memory for the Colombian.
“It was a very good game, but it was just a normal game because it wasn’t like we won a trophy from it.&nbsp;It was though a very well played game by Newcastle,” he explained.
He is right to acknowledge his team-mates for their efforts on the night, but it was Tino who made the headlines. It was a night that is still talked about today, a special night that nobody associated with Newcastle will forget.
“Obviously I am very proud of scoring a hat-trick against Barcelona because it’s a well remembered thing and part of Newcastle’s history.&nbsp;Even though I only played for one and a half years I get a very warm welcome every time I come here, and it’s good to know the fans still remember what I did for the club,” says the former number eleven.
After arriving from Parma in February 1996 under Kevin Keegan, it was soon evident Newcastle had signed a somewhat interesting character.
After being limited to mostly substitute appearances initially, the sale of Ferdinand and Shearer’s lengthy injury lay-off gave Tino his chance for a regular starting place ahead of the 1997/98 season.
On the opening day of the new campaign Asprilla was partnered in attack for the first time with Tomasson, as Newcastle claimed a 2-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at St James’. Tino netted both goals, two of nine Premier League goals he would notch during his time in the North East.
While Asprilla’s stay at Newcastle was relatively short, he still remains a fan’s favourite, deservedly so given his heroics against Barcelona.
A first half penalty followed by two headers gave Tino his treble, as Newcastle found themselves 3-0 up and in ecstasy. The visitors pulled two back, but Asprilla and his side held on to a result that sent shockwaves around Europe.
For that night he will always be remembered by the Geordie faithful. Inconsistency on the pitch unfortunately saw a premature end to Tino’s time at Newcastle, but he smiled as he explained his appreciation for the reception he still receives on Tyneside.
“It’s great to come back to a place where you know you’re welcome.&nbsp;It’s great for me to come to Newcastle and get admiration from people who may never have seen me play but still recognise me and know what I did,” he explained.
Now retired and residing near Bogota in his native Colombia, Asprilla gets little chance to follow his former club’s fortunes.
During his visit to the North East he had chance to watch the end of Newcastle’s season, as the Magpies clinched a 12th place finish in their return season in the top flight. After coming close to winning the Premier League title during his time at Newcastle, Asprilla finds it difficult to compare the club’s current side to that he represented in the nineties.
“It’s not very good to compare teams, but when you look at the team I played in it was fighting for the title and the team now are just fighting to survive in the middle of the table.”
Soon to be heading home to South America, Asprilla wished his former club well but wasn’t shy in giving his verdict on Alan Pardew’s side.
“Newcastle did well this season given the team that they have,” said Asprilla.&nbsp;“If they want to try and achieve and get higher up the table, they definitely have to bring three or four new faces that are willing to fight for the team.”
Pardew’s squad could have done with an Asprilla-like addition on Wednesday night as the transfer window slammed shut, but the Magpies fans were once again left disappointed by the club’s transfer activity.
Players like Asprilla bring frustration but with that comes the capability of providing nights like that of September 1997. It’s somewhat fitting that his hat-trick against Barcelona were his last Newcastle goals, three of nine he netted in Europe for the club.
In eighteen months Asprilla provided everything at Newcastle. Poor performances were overshadowed by moments of individual brilliance, and of course his trademark celebration of a cartwheel followed by three punches of the air.
Gone but never forgotten. The part Asprilla played in such a historic encounter warrants the admiration he still receives over a decade on.&nbsp;The little Colombian took the lead role in a show that could be argued as the greatest Champions League debut in recent history, a performance that will see him eternally idolized by the people of Newcastle.
Follow Martin Lindsay on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/martinlindsay11">@martinlindsay11</a>

The Night Faustino Asprilla's Hat Trick Sunk Barcelona at St. James' Park

The Night Faustino Asprilla's Hat Trick Sunk Barcelona at St. James' Park - World Soccer Talk

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