The Magpies face Pep Guardiola's men at St. James' Park this weekend (4:30pm kick-off) looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the new campaign, which has seen them take four points from their opening two Premier League games.

City, meanwhile, have begun their title defence with two convincing wins over West Ham and Howe's former club Bournemouth, but the Newcastle boss wants his charges to approach Sunday's showdown in front of their own supporters without any trepidation.

Here's what else Howe had to say during his pre-match media briefing on Friday morning...

On the test his players will face against City, and the prospect of going up against their number nine Erling Haaland:"I always say to them, 'judge yourself against the best'. It's a challenge to be attacked and relished rather than feared. I think our defenders are in a good place at the moment - I think as a team we've defended well. There's always room for improvement but I think this is the ultimate test, not just as a back four but the team in front.

"We have to protect our defenders, but we also have to give Manchester City a threat the other way and a problem the other way. We can't be too passive in what we deliver. It's a good game, at a really early stage of the season, to see how far we've come as a team."

On his hopes of adding to his squad before the end of the summer transfer window and the players the club are monitoring:

"It's a small pool of players, but not through us not widening the search - it's because there's not a huge amount of players that will make our group better, and that's the confidence (we have) in the players we have. I think we've got a really good squad.

"Certainly, I'd love to add someone that can make us better, but that is very difficult. Our search has been high and wide and far-reaching, but I don't expect the pool of players that we have to pick from to change between now and the end of the window."

On incoming CEO Darren Eales, who is due to start work at St. James' Park this month:

"I'm very much looking forward to building a relationship with him. I've met him once. In terms of how the dynamic will work between us all, I'm not sure at the moment because he's not started and we've not engaged in those conversations, but I think someone of his experience and his knowledge will only help us and help us hopefully become more efficient in every way of working. I'd like to welcome him to the football club, and hope he has a successful time."

On the fitness of Ryan Fraser and Matt Targett, who both missed last weekend's goalless draw at Brighton:

"Ryan, we hope, will be fit and available. He had a back spasm last week so he was a late withdrawal from the game. He's trained this week.

"And Matt, we'll make a late decision on."