I'm the only Man City fan in my school near Newcastle - I'm so excited for Saturday

Joston Edward needs Manchester City to beat Newcastle on Saturday - or he can't face school on Monday.

The six-year-old is from Birtley, a town just south of the Angel of the North and a 20-minute drive from St James' Park to the north and the Stadium of Light to the east. Everyone else in his family supports either Newcastle or Sunderland, and nobody else in his school is a City fan.

That hasn't stopped the youngster from following every City game, and his grandad saw the passion he had for Pep Guardiola's side and encouraged him to write to his favourite player, James McAtee, ahead of the game. The City playmaker read it and as a result - with some help from the player care team at the club - Joston will be heading to the Etihad on Saturday with his mum and grandad for a day he will never forget.

“When I was three I decided Manchester City were the best team in the world and even though all my family support Newcastle and Sunderland, I wanted to support them," he told the Manchester Evening News."I watch every single game I can on TV, if me mam lets me stay up.

"McAtee is one of my favourite players so my grandad sent my letter off, James read it and said he would send us the tickets and a lovely lady at City arranged everything for us.

"I’m so excited and very grateful. I hope we win so that I can tease all my mates in the playground at school on Monday, if not I might tell me mam I’ve got bad belly so I don’t have to go in, as I’m the only City fan in my school.”

Now City just have to make sure Saturday is a day he remembers with his friends and family for the right reasons.