City defender Bruno Berner is hoping it will be third time lucky tonight when, after two games on the bench, he will actually taste the special atmosphere of facing Newcastle United at St James' Park.

After last season as constant favourites, City find themselves notional underdogs against the Magpies in many eyes but not their own, quite rightly, and Berner said: "It is the opposite from before but we go up there with a lot of enjoyment and, after being there twice with Blackburn but only on the bench, I am very excited and looking forward to it.

"They are a massive club but we have had a good start and we go into it with confidence so we will see."

Despite their current turmoil, the Magpies are very much favourites to stop a downward spiral by recovering to promotion back to the top flight and Berner is aware of their status.

He said: "It is a big Premiership club, let's be honest. I was surprised they were relegated, like everyone in the country, in the world! It was mismanagement full stop, that's all. They still had the players to get out of there but it was an example of mismanagement."

Nothing could be further from the truth in the City camp where Nigel Pearson, ironically a caretaker at St James' Park once, steered City to promotion last season and looking very capable of repeating the feat this season.

It is a different game at this level but Berner said: "We are still in early stage of the season but we are already playing more football. I was surprised in League One there was a lot of chasing around and closing people down. Especially, because we were favourites, all the teams raised their game ten or fifteen per cent so there is a bit more football now."