Sven Botman of Newcastle United celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammates during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Brentford at St James' Park on February 07, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)placeholder image
Sven Botman of Newcastle United celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammates during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Brentford at St James' Park on February 07, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sven Botman latest as Newcastle United without seven first-team players against Manchester City.
Newcastle visit Manchester on the back of three consecutive wins over Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Qarabag away from home.
But the Magpies have never won at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League, with their only victory coming in a League Cup tie in October 2014.
Man City are unbeaten in their last 21 league home games against Newcastle, winning each of the last 16.
Newcastle United starting XI to face Manchester City
The only change from Wednesday’s 6-1 Champions League play-off first-leg win over Qarabag sees Jacob Ramsey come in for Harvey Barnes.
Ramsey lines up alongside Sandro Tonali and Nick Woltemade in midfield. Howe hinted Woltemade would start during his pre-match press conference on Friday.
When asked if Woltemade can rise to the defensive challenge versus Man City, Howe replied: “We will see but I'd say from what I've seen in training and the way that he's taken to the work that we've done with him, I'd say yes.
“Of course, doing that in one environment is different to doing it on match day with the pressure and the game and everything that entails but I wouldn't play him there if I didn't think he could do it.”
Still no Sven Botman for Newcastle United - seven players out
Newcastle remain without seven first-team players as Sven Botman misses a third game in a row, despite Howe revealing the Dutchman could be “in around for this game”.
Bruno Guimaraes is currently in Brazil as he recovers from a hamstring issue while Tino Livramento and Fabian Schar aren’t due back until March and April, respectively. Emil Krafth has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.
Lewis Miley is a “maximum of two weeks away”, according to Howe. Yoane Wissa could return in midweek following three matches out.
On Miley, who hasn’t featured since the 1-1 draw away to Paris Saint-Germain on January 28, Howe said: “Again, without going into too much medical stuff which is beyond me, it was a dead leg so that was factually correct but I think it disturbed a bit of the muscle.
“Again, I don't think he's too far away, nothing more than a week, a couple of weeks maximum but I think we've been told that we've got to be careful with him.”
On Yissa, Howe added: “No, I don't think he will be [back v Man City] but I don't think he'll be too far off maybe the Qarabag game. “It was in training, a nasty little knock but I think he'll be fine.”
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