Premier League: Magpies Descend on Old Trafford

Manchester United vs Newcastle United

The weather forecast for Manchester looks cloudy on Monday, as usual, and the skies will be darkening over Old Trafford as Eddie Howe’s Magpies fly in for Premier League: Manchester United vs Newcastle United.

There hasn’t been much sunshine or good news at the Theatre of Dreams recently, despite the arrival of a bright new head coach, Ruben Amorin. Manchester United have been hit by a mice infestation which saw the club called out by hygiene inspectors, and not long ago a fan apparently found a dead rat under his seat. So the last thing they need now is a flock of hungry Magpies descending on their ground. To make matters worse, Newcastle have found some impressive form in recent weeks and will arrive in Manchester on a run of four consecutive victories.

In contrast, Amorin’s brief honeymoon at Manchester United is over and his team has lost its last three games, and the pressure is steadily rising, particularly as the Red Devils will face this tough challenge without their inspirational captain.            

 

Talking Points

Bruno out for Red Devils

Manchester United’s latest manager needs time to impose his imprint on the club and start a rebuild, but the immediate future looks a little bleak after a disastrous Boxing Day loss away to Wolves. The big Manchester United vs Newcastle United news in the run up to this fixture is the absence of the Red Devils skipper, and best player, Bruno Fernandes after he was red carded at Molineux for two bookable offences. The Portuguese ace is United’s joint top scorer on four goals and joint top assist maker with five; and the hosts will miss his leadership on the pitch. And sitting alongside Fernandes in the stands will be summer recruit Manuel Ugarte who is also serving a one match suspension after he accumulated five yellow cards in the first half of the campaign. With another midfielder, Mason Mount, out injured, Amorin is likely to call on the experienced duo of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro.  

The new boss is under no illusions around the size of the task facing him at Old Trafford and, after the loss to Wolves, he admitted that even he is not safe in his job, after just seven games in charge. Amorin has lost four of his opening seven matches and the loss at Wolves made it three defeats in a row, leaving the proud club 14^th in the Premier League. It’s not a position Red Devils fans are used to and Amorin’s first task is to get them in the right half of the table.   

 

Isak on fire for Newcastle

Howe’s Newcastle have had their challenges over the past 12 months, not least due to financial fair play restrictions and an apparent reluctance of other clubs to loan them players. But, right now, things are looking pretty hopeful in the North East as the Geordies have moved up to fifth in the table and just five points behind fourth placed Nottingham Forest, and they are scoring pretty freely with 30 goals, and 14 in the last four games in all competitions. Newcastle beat Europe rivals Aston Villa last time out and were hugely impressive with goals from Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak and Joelinton. Swedish striker Isak has 12 this season, 11 goals in the league which makes him fourth in the race for the Golden Boot and, alongside Gordon and Jacob Murphy, he forms a lethal front three. With 42 goals in 68 games for the Magpies Isak is every bit the Premier League striker Newcastle fans have been yearning for since the days of Alan Shearer and, at 25 years of age, the 6ft 4in hitman will only get better. 

With the returned Sandro Tonali pulling the strings behind the front three this is a team which can unpick any defence, and when the chance comes Isak will invariably deliver.     

 

History

With 36 wins to ten the Red Devils have had plenty of success in this fixture in the Premier League era; but Newcastle were on a three match winning run until they lost a five goal thriller at Old Trafford last May.

In terms of recent form, four wins, one defeat and one draw from the last six is a good return for the Magpies, while their hosts have won two and lost four in all competitions but, of course, very recent form is definitely in the visitors’ favour.      

 

Betting Tip

If ever there was a game in the balance this is it, and the pre-match Manchester United vs Newcastle United betting odds show how tight this clash may be. The Magpies are marginal favourites at 2.32 while their hosts are slightly further out at a SBOTOP price of 2.52 with the draw at 3.30. 

Without Fernandes I suspect the Red Devils will be happy with a draw and, for a correct score-line, a 1-1 result is the most likely outcome, while a 2-1 win to Eddie Howe’s men is at 8.68. 

   

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