Newcastle vs Manchester City, Premier League live score and latest updates

Hayden picks up the first yellow card of the game. 

Rodri fouls Joelinton to earn the Magpies a free kick in a threatening position. It's looped into the box, and the ball comes across to Callum Wilson who jumps with Ederson.

Wilson is grounded for a couple of moments, but he's back on his feet now. 

De Bruyne is dispossessed on the edge of his own box. Fraser pounces on him and manages to get a shot away which is cleared off the line. 

Martin Atkinson deems Fraser went in too hard there. City free kick. 

Almiron concedes a free kick deep into City's half. He's looked lively so far up that right-hand side. 

Joelinton goes close! Almiron is up on the right-hand side of the City box, trying to get space for the cross. He eventually gets it across, it's headed away by the City defence before dropping to Joelinton.

He gets his laces behind it and fires his shot just wide of Ederson's right-hand post. 

A second City corner, this time from the right hand side. Mahrez whips it in, Newcastle fail to properly clear. City patiently begin building again. It's going to be a big ask for Newcastle this afternoon. 

Ruben Dias! It's a catastrophe between Dúbravka and his defence. 

Cancelo on the stretch on the right of the box, lobs the ball across the box. Clark and Debravka both leave it, a total mix up, and it falls to Ruben Dias to comfortably head home.

Wayward pass by Dúbravka to give City the first corner of the game. 

Newcastle get us under way in a packed-out St James' Park.

Newcastle: Dubravka, Murphy, Clark, Lascelles, Ritchie, Almiron, Hayden, Willock, Fraser, Joelinton, Wilson. 

Subs: Schar, Saint-Maximin, Hendrick, Krafth, Darlow, Anderson, Gayle, Longstaff, White.

Man City: Ederson, Joao Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Sterling, Gabriel Jesus. 

Subs: Stones, Ake, Gundogan, Grealish, Steffen, Fernandinho, Foden, Palmer, Wilson-Esbrand.

Pep Guardiola, speaking pre-match with Sky Sports, is asked whether he is close to his best. This is how he responds:

Never. We can always do better.

If Man City win today they’ll be top of the table at Christmas for the third time in their Premier League history.

On the other two occasions they went on to win the title.

Away games to Everton and Southampton follow to wrap up the festive run of fixtures. 

Man City have got Leicester (home), Brentford (away), before facing in-form Arsenal at the Emirates on New Year's Day. 

In the other 2pm kick off, Wolves host Chelsea at Molineux. 

Telegraph Sport has learnt that the Premier League turned down the visitor's request to postpone the game this morning and it could force Chelsea to have players on the bench who are struggling for fitness later this afternoon.

The Premier League declined to comment but we've been told its board ruled Chelsea had enough fit players to play today's match.

Eddie Howe has made five changes to the team that lost at Anfield on Thursday. 

Three changes for Man City as Cancelo (who makes his 100th appearance for the club) comes back from suspension, with Grealish and Foden dropping to the bench as Gabriel Jesus and Sterling start.

⭐️ Your City XI to face Newcastle! ⭐️

XI | Ederson, Cancelo, Dias (C), Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mahrez, Jesus, Sterling

SUBS | Steffen, Stones, Ake, Gundogan, Grealish, Fernandinho, Foden, Palmer, Wilson-Esbrand#ManCity | @HaysTechnology pic.twitter.com/hl2BZmUCiP

— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 19, 2021