"I just don't see" - Chris Sutton makes surprise claims while predicting Manchester City vs Newcastle United result
Chris Sutton has backed Manchester City to win in the FA Cup quarterfinals against Newcastle United on Saturday (16 March).
The Cityzens drew 1-1 against Liverpool last weekend in a crucial Premier League fixture, with John Stones and Alexis Mac Allister getting on the scoresheet. The top-of-the-table clash saw multiple chances on both ends, with the Merseysiders persistently searching for the match-winner in the second half.
However, Sutton believes Newcastle will not pose a similar attacking threat as he predicted a 3-1 scoreline in favor of Manchester City. While giving his predictions for this weekend's FA Cup fixtures, the pundit told the BBC:
"Liverpool gave Manchester City a bit of a going over at times in the second half at Anfield last weekend - but I just don't see Newcastle doing the same to them at the Etihad."
Kevin De Bruyne has been ruled out for Manchester City's clash against the Magpies due to a groin injury. The Belgium international will miss his national side's friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and England as well, as confirmed by manager manager Domenico Tedesco.
However, the midfield playmaker's absence will not make a difference, according to Sutton. He added:
"Pep Guardiola always goes strong in the FA Cup and, even with Kevin de Bruyne out injured, City will be hard to stop. I am expecting to see Erling Haaland back on the scoresheet after he bagged five against Luton in the last round."
Sutton then made a bold claim, backing last season's treble-winners to lift the FA Cup once again. The former Chelsea striker said:
"City are my tip to go and win the FA Cup again this year. They won't do another treble though."
After their FA Cup tie against Newcastle, City will face Arsenal in a crunch league fixture on 31 March.
Fabrizio Romano offers promising update on Kyle Walker's future after Manchester City star hinted at potential Saudi move
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has reassured Manchester City fans that Kyle Walker remains committed to the club after his comments about a potential move to the Saudi Pro League.
The England international recently credited Cristiano Ronaldo for paving the way for star footballers to move to the Middle East, emphasizing the lucrative deals offered by Saudi clubs.
His comments caused speculation over a potential departure from the Etihad in the near future. However, Romano has confirmed that Walker has not been contacted by any clubs yet. He told Caught Offside:
"Kyle Walker is having another fantastic season for Manchester City, but he may have raised one or two eyebrows with comments that he'd 'never say never' to a big-money move to the Saudi Pro League."
Walker's future at Manchester City came into question last summer before he signed a contract extension until 2026. Speaking about his situation at the time, Romano added:
"He was never close to Saudi last summer from what I know, let's see if they come for him, but we know he was close to Bayern Munich. At the moment, however, his full focus is on Man City and he's not negotiating with any other club."