Mateo Kovacic says Manchester City cannot afford to take our eye on the Premier League and says the focus is entirely on Newcastle United.

Eddie Howe’s side come to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday at 15:00 (UK) with the two teams only separated by goals scored in fifth and sixth in the table.

With so many teams competing for Champions League places, any slip-up could give an advantage to the rivals.

And despite City's European second leg against Real Madrid coming up on Saturday, Kovacic says they can only concentrate on the games immediately ahead.

“I think every week is important and defining in this league because as soon as you are not on it for two or three games, you drop in the league and that is what has happened with ourselves this season,” the Croatian said.

“Big games are coming, very important games, so we know that it will not be easy, but we are ready and just need to focus on the next game, not look too far ahead and be ready for Newcastle.

“Obviously, we started the season in very good form and it looked like that we would again be fighting for the title until the end.

“But at the moment we dropped and it is not realistic and very difficult to speak about the end of the season.

“We have to live now, be ready now and prepare well for Newcastle. Then, we can rest and look to the next game. It is just about today and tomorrow now.”

Newcastle have been superb in recent weeks, securing a place in the Carabao Cup final with wins home and away against Arsenal.

This week, however, they were without a game while City playing our end-to-end Champions League clash with Real.

“Every game is a must win for us,” Kovacic added. “This is a team that wants to win every game and our mindset is to try to win every game.

“We know that Saturday will be a difficult game, they will have prepared the whole week for this game and they are in a good moment both physically and mentally.

“It is another tough game in the Premier League like always and we will try to rest good from [Madrid] to recover and prepare in the best way possible.

“I think Newcastle has a great team in general. They are playing very well this season and it is an opponent that is very physical and that can play football.

“We just have to look at ourselves, prepare our game and to try to be better.”