Premier League preview: Manchester City v Newcastle

Newcastle United face the biggest challenge to their undefeated start to the English Premier League season when they meet Manchester City.

Alan Pardew’s men have surprised all-comers with their excellent start to the season, sitting third with 25 points from 11 matches.

While impressive, their start has seen them face just three teams who are currently sitting in the top half of the table.

A trip to Etihad Stadium on Saturday provides them with a perfect opportunity to silence those critics, but they will have to do so against a red-hot City outfit.

City are the only other undefeated team in the Premier League, and they have won 10 of 11 to open up a five-point gap atop the table.

Italian striker Mario Balotelli continued his good form during the break, netting his first international goal in his country’s 2-0 win over Poland on Friday.

The flamboyant 21-year-old may have hit just seven shots on target in the Premier League this campaign, but five of those have found the back of the net.

He and Edin Dzeko continue to challenge one another for a place up front, and both will want to start with David Silva and Samir Nasri running the show in midfield.

Silva and Nasri have had six assists each this league campaign, but it is the Spaniard who has set the competition alight, creating 33 chances from open play for team-mates.

Newcastle have failed to beat City in their past nine Premier League meetings, and if they are to do so this time around, their defence will need to continue their excellent form.

Their back four has conceded just eight times this season, with half of those coming from set pieces.

Despite the form of Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor, Newcastle are up against a City side who have scored at least twice in all of their Premier League outings this campaign.

It means striker Demba Ba needs to be clinical and build on a form run that has seen him net eight times in his last six league matches.

While it has proven near impossible, Pardew’s men have an opportunity to show they are real contenders by taking something out of their clash against the title favourites.