FA Cup quarter-final tie: £89m blow & double injury doubt as nine players ruled out
Manchester City and Newcastle United go head-to-head for the fourth time this campaign, with a place in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley up for grabs.
Pep Guardiola‘s men have recorded a Premier League double over the Magpies this season. In August, they won 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium before Oscar Bobb’s stoppage-time winner claimed a dramatic victory at St James’ Park in January.
While City has the upper hand over United in the league, Eddie Howe’s men did dump them out of the Carabao Cup at the third round stage in September, with Alexander Isak scoring the game’s only goal.
But facing last season’s triple winners remains one of the most challenging assignments in world football, and Newcastle will need to be at its best to advance into the last four of the FA Cup for the first time in 20 years.
The Magpies may be boosted by the news that Kevin De Bruyne and Ederson won’t be involved after they picked up injuries away to Liverpool last time out.
However, Newcastle have injuries, as they have done all season. Anthony Gordon is the latest injury scare after a knee injury forced the winger to withdraw in the first half against Chelsea on Monday.
We examine the latest injury news from both camps before this evening’s 5:30 pm kick-off.
‘I won’t’ – Anthony Gordon issues Newcastle United injury update ahead of Man City FA Cup clash
Newcastle United star Anthony Gordon says he’ll do everything possible to be involved against Manchester City on Saturday evening (kick-off 5:30 pm).
The 23-year-old was forced off with a knee injury during the first half of the Magpies’ 3-2 defeat at Chelsea on Monday. It was feared the issue was severe, with Eddie Howe admitting after the game, “It doesn’t look good.” But Gordon, reacting to his first-ever England call-up, has confirmed he feels fine despite initially panicking.
Gordon told NUFCTV: “I was looking forward to that game so much, I knew it was an ample opportunity. Monday night football, two teams that are fighting each other at the moment – it was a big occasion, but in the game, I picked up a slight injury which made me panic a lot at the time with my knee; you don’t mess around with your knees in football so when I had those feelings, I was praying that it was nothing serious, and thankfully for me, it wasn’t.
“The day after the game, I came into training, and it didn’t feel bad. It hadn’t swelled up, and usually, with the knee, if it swells, it could be a bad problem. I know my own body, and I knew at that moment I was fine, but in the game, when you’re getting certain shooting pains, it can offset you, and as I say, it made me panic a lot.”
Gareth Southgate has called up Gordon for England’s friendlies against Bruno Guimaraes’ Brazil and Belgium at Wembley. But before that, the former Everton winger is pushing to return for the visit to Man City in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
“I’ve always said if I’m not injured, I won’t miss games,” Gordon added. “I was fortunate there wasn’t much up with my knee; it was just a bit of pain. I can’t then miss games because of a sore knee; that’s not what I’m about. If I can play, I’ll play. I’ll do everything possible to be in that position from now to the game.”
