Newcastle v Manchester United predictions: Expect a Tyneside Christmas cracker

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Newcastle United v Manchester United in the Premier League.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 8pm Monday

Best bet

Man Utd to win and over 2.5 goals
1pt 11-10 general

Team news

Newcastle
Isaac Hayden is suspended and Jonjo Shelvey is doubtful so Sean Longstaff could come into midfield. Jamal Lewis, Federico Fernandez and Paul Dummett are injured.

Man Utd
Injured midfielder Paul Pogba is United's only absentee.

Match preview

It may be asking too much for a Christmas miracle on Tyneside but Newcastle may still be able to play their part in a cracker when Manchester United visit St James' Park.

Newcastle have won only once this season and remain in the bottom three despite having played more matches than nearly all of their relegation rivals in an increasingly distorted table, so it is difficult to see how they will be able to land large odds with a shock win.

Defensively Newcastle remain a shambles and that is likely to lead to a high-scoring encounter with the away side fancied to take the spoils in a match with at least three goals.

Toon boss Eddie Howe has done plenty of complaining in recent days, bemoaning refereeing standards and the unfairness of teams getting matches postponed with the potential of playing with a stronger squad once the January sales have been sorted.

That upcoming window will be crucial to Newcastle's survival ambitions as they look to spend some of their considerable wealth to improve a team that looks destined for the drop if they fail to make substantial reinforcements to the defensive personnel.

Newcastle's only clean sheet came in their sole success - 1-0 against powder-puff Burnley - and the last three defeats have come by an aggregate 11-1, albeit from a difficult bunch of fixtures which included matches with Liverpool and Manchester City.

Only Leeds went into the Christmas period having allowed more shots and efforts on target than Newcastle, who have shipped the most goals in the league (41).

Midfield enforcer Isaac Hayden's suspension means there is not even the comfort of a solid anchor in front of the back four and Howe may believe attack is the best form of defence until he can make improvements.

That would seem a logical approach.

Callum Wilson is a decent leader of the line, Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron are Newcastle's most talented performers and Joelinton is starting to win over his considerable doubters.

City and Chelsea are the only teams to have stopped Newcastle from scoring at home this season and the Geordies have also notched in nine of their last ten games against the Red Devils.

Unfortunately for Newcastle they have still lost the last four of those and three of them ended in 4-1 defeats, most recently when Cristiano Ronaldo's homecoming ended in a two-goal salvo for the Portuguese superstar.

Ronaldo has scored 13 goals in all competitions this season and grabbed the winner in United's last outing - a 1-0 win over Norwich on December 11.

A subsequent Covid outbreak meant an enforced break but Ralf Rangnick now has everyone bar Paul Pogba fit and they look set to land a fourth straight Premier League win.

Key stat

Newcastle have scored in nine of their last ten matches against Manchester United

Inside info

Newcastle

Penalty taker Callum Wilson
Free-kick wizard Miguel Almiron
Set-piece aerial threat Jamaal Lascelles
Card magnet Javier Manquillo

Man Utd

Penalty taker Cristiano Ronaldo
Free-kick wizardBruno Fernandes
Set-piece aerial threatHarry Maguire
Card magnetFred

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