Manchester United will be desperate to return to winning ways when they welcome Newcastle United to Old Trafford on Monday.
The curtains will fall on Gameweek 19 of the 2024/25 Premier League season next season to bring the first half of the campaign to a close. Monday will feature three matches, including Manchester United vs Newcastle United at Old Trafford.
Manchester United have endured a disastrous start to life under Ruben Amorim. While the results have improved in Europe, the Red Devils have blown hot and cold in domestic football in recent weeks. Amorim’s charges have won only one of their last six domestic games, with the sole win coming against Manchester City. The horrendous run has dropped Manchester United to 14th in the standings.
On the other hand, the results have improved for Newcastle United. The Magpies have won four successive games across all competitions, with the three victories in the Premier League coming with as many clean sheets. The positive run has lifted Eddie Howe’s men to seventh on the table.
The corresponding fixture last season saw Manchester United eke a 3-2 win over Newcastle United, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring the match-winning goal. The Hard Taclke takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting betwen the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester United
Ruben Amorim has a new roster issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Manchester United manager will be bereft of the services of five first-team players vs Newcastle United on Monday.
Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte are the latest absentees, and the duo will serve a one-game suspension. While the Manchester United captain saw red against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Ugarte picked up his fifth yellow card of the 2024/25 Premier League season. The duo has joined Victor Lindelof (knock), Luke Shaw (calf), and Mason Mount (hamstring) on the sidelines.
Andre Onana will take his spot between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Newcastle United on Monday. The central defensive unit should feature Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, and Lisandro Martinez, while Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot will be the two wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Casemiro will replace the suspended Manuel Ugarte, joining Kobbie Mainoo in the double pivot. Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho will likely complete the supporting cast for Rasmus Hojlund, who will lead the line for Manchester United against Newcastle United.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Martinez; Mazraoui, Casemiro, Mainoo, Dalot; Amad, Garnacho; Hojlund
Newcastle United
Unlike his counterpart in the Manchester United dugout, Eddie Howe has greeted a positive udpate on the team news front ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. The Newcastle United manager might be without five first-team players on Monday.
Howe has been sweating over the fitness of Valentino Livramento and Kieran Trippier. The duo will face late fitness tests to determine their availability. However, Nick Pope (knee), Sven Botman (knee), Emil Krafth (shoulder), Jamaal Lascelles (knee), and Callum Wilson (thigh) remain on the sidelines.
Martin Dubravka will deputise for Pope between the sticks, with Newcastle United lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Monday. The backline should feature Valentino Livramento, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, and Lewis Hall.
As for the midfield unit, Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, and Joelinton should form a dynamic trifecta in the middle of the park. Finally, Alexander Isak will spearhead the Newcastle United attack against Manchester United, with Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon completing the numbers in the offensive trio.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Dubravka; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Jacob Murphy, Isak, Gordon
Key Stats
- Manchester United’s only defeat in their last 39 league matches at home vs Newcastle United was a 1-0 loss in December 2013 under David Moyes.
- Manchester United will hope to avoid losing three consecutive league matches at home for the first time since December 1978 to February 1979. They last conceded three or more goals in three successive league fixtures at Old Trafford in October 1962. The Red Devils have not lost three league games in a row without scoring since May 2015. In addition, they are aiming to avoid suffering five league defeats in the same month for the first time since September 1962.
- Newcastle United have won four consecutive matches in all competitions by an aggregate score of 14-1.
- Manchester United have only lost their final Premier League game of a year once at Old Trafford, a 3-2 defeat against Blackburn Rovers in 2011. On the other hand, have not won their final league fixture of a calendar year since 2016 in the Championship and since 2014 in the Premier League, while their last away win at the turn of the year came in 1999.
- Jacob Murphy has racked up three goals and four assists in his last four Premier League appearances.
Player to Watch
Amad Diallo
With Bruno Fernandes unavailable, Amad Diallo will be take creative charge in the final third for Manchester United. The Ivory Coast international has been a rare positive for Manchester United this season and will hold the key for the home side vs Newcastle United on Monday.
The young playmaker’s brilliant run recently ended, and he will be eager to find his scoring and creative boots on Monday against Newcastle United. How Diallo fares in the game will determine whether Manchester United can return to winning ways.
Prediction
Manchester United 1-2 Newcastle United
Despite a decade of mediocrity, Manchester United find themselves in an unfamiliar position heading into the second half of the 2024/25 season. The Red Devils cannot buy a win, with Ruben Amorim facing a baptism by fire at Old Trafford.
We listed many unwanted records that Manchester United have already broken and might break with a defeat on Monday. Meanwhile, Eddie Howe has failed to win his seven top-flight matches as a manager at Old Trafford (D2 L5). However, that record should end on Monday, with the beleaguered home side struggling at the back again. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 victory for Howe and his charges.