Manchester City start their title defence with a trip to St James Park to face a determined Newcastle United in the Premier League on Sunday.
Where to Watch Live
The game at St James' Park is set for a 4.00 pm BST (11.00 am ET, 8.30 pm IST) start with live coverage on Star Sports 4 in India. Manchester City's first Premier League match of the season can also be watched via live streaming online in India HERE. TV coverage in the UK will be on Sky Sports 1, with the option to live stream HERE or HERE.
Viewers in the UK can also listen to the match via radio on Talksport or HERE. Catch the action on TV in the US on NBC Sports and Telemundo, while the game can also be live streamed online HERE. Viewers in the Middle East and North Africa can watch the match via live streaming HERE, while South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa viewers can do the same HERE. Australia viewers can live stream the action HERE, while viewers in Canada can do the same HERE.
After having failed to comply to UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules, the Citizens got into a lot of trouble, with them getting a limited summer transfer budget as well as a truncated 21-man squad for the Champions League.
However, they still managed to splash some cash around and bring in the likes of Eliaquim Mangala, Fernando (both Porto) and Willy Caballero (Malaga). They also managed to secure the signatures of Premier League veterans Frank Lampard (on-loan from New York City) and Bacary Sagna (on a free transfer from Arsenal).
With the likes of Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Sami Nasri and Vincent Kompany already in their squad, the defending champions will certainly prove a handful for any opposition, despite them doing limited business in the transfer market this summer.
However, they will be keen to wash off the memories of their 3-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal in the Community Shield last week.
City, who were without the likes of Aguero, Zabaleta, Kompany, Joe Hart and Fernandinho, very poor in that game, failing to give competition to the Gunners. Nevertheless, they will certainly be quite a different side, now that they are at full strength.
Having opened their 2013/14 campaign with a crushing 4-0 win over with Newcastle, the Citizens will be hoping to do something similar as they start the new season.
Newcastle, on the other hand, will be hoping to improve their position in the Premier League this season, following the 10th place finish in 2013/14.
Last season, the Magpies suffered some shock defeats at the hands of Hull City, Sunderland, Swansea City, West Brom and a few other low key clubs as they stumbled to a mid-table finish.
The Toon have splashed some cash in the transfer market this summer, bringing in some good talents, including Siem de Jong (Ajax), Daryl Janmaat (Feyenoord), Emmanuel Riviere (Monaco) and Remy Cabella (Montpellier).
However, Newcastle boss Alan Pardew feels that the new players need some time to adapt to the Premier League.
"I don't like setting targets myself with the team," Pardew told the Daily Mail. "What we do also need to understand - and I know people are saying it's desperate that I need a fast start after what happened at the back end of last year – is that I think that's going to be difficult because we have got a lot of new players. So I am kind of preparing myself for an even start, if I am honest, and to get stronger as we go along."
Still, the 53-year-old boss is certain that new striker Riviere will do well in the Premier League this season.
"I think he's a player that was stuck at Monaco behind some unbelievable footballers. All he could was come on to the pitch and score if he got the chance, and he did that, so he didn't do too much wrong there. We're fairly fortunate to have him and we think he's a player who can grow."
Key Players
Manchester City: Ivorian midfielder Toure will again probably be the key man for City this season, having done exceptionally well last season. The Citizens will also be relying on Kompany, Aguero, Nasri and Silva as they look to defend the league title. Premier League newbies Mangala and Fernando will be hoping to prove themselves at the Etihad, while veterans Lampard and Sagna will also be hoping to do well at their new club.
Newcastle United: With some of their key players sidelined, the Magpies will be relying on Yoan Gouffran, Moussa Sissoko and Hatem Ben Arfa to deliver the goods tonight.
Team News
Manchester City: Striker Alvaro Negredo has been ruled out as he is still recovering from the foot injury he sustained in the preseason. Aguero and new signing Mangala are also doubts for this match as they currently lack match fitness. Apart from that, Pellegrini has a full squad to choose from. Sagna and Lampard, along with Kompany, Hart and Fernandinho, who did not feature in City's defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield, could play a part against the Magpies.
Newcastle United: The Magpies have a lot of injury concerns ahead of the new season as Davide Santon, Ryan Taylor, Papiss Cisse (all knee), Curtis Good (groin) and Cheick Tiote (hamstring) will all be missing out against City due to their respective injuries. Summer signing de Jong has also been ruled out with a foot injury.
Expected Lineups
Manchester City: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Kolarov; Fernandinho, Toure; Silva, Jovetic, Nasri; Dzeko
Newcastle United: Krul; Janmaat, S Taylor, Coloccini, Haidara; Ben Arfa, Sissoko, Anita, Colback, Cabella; Riviere
