Manchester United and Newcastle United will be eager to return to winning ways when they lock horns at Old Trafford on Boxing Day.
Premier League action resumes this week with the traditional festive schedule. Gamweek 18 of the 2025/26 season will begin on Friday with Manchester United vs Newcastle United, with both sides desperate to return to winning ways.
Manchester United’s frustrating run continued last weekend, as a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa left them seventh in the Premier League standings after Gameweek 17. The Red Devils have won only two of their last eight top-flight matches, and the situation worsened after Bruno Fernandes sustained a hamstring injury in the first half.
On the other hand, Newcastle United’s inconsistent run also continued last weekend, as they squandered a two-goal lead to play a 2-2 draw with Chelsea. The Magpies have endured a topsy-turvy ride throughout the 2025/26 season, and they have won only three of their last eight games across all competitions.
The corresponding fixture last season ended in a 2-0 win for Newcastle United, with Alexander Isak and Joelinton finding the back of the net. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester United
Ruben Amorim has received a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Manchester United manager will be bereft of the services of as many as seven first-team players vs Newcastle United on Friday.
Bruno Fernandes is the latest absentee after sustaining a hamstring injury against Aston Villa. The Manchester United captain will be unavailable for at least a month, and he has joined Matthijs de Ligt (lower back), Harry Maguire (hamstring), and Kobbie Mainoo (knock) in the treatment room.
Additionally, Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo remain unavailable due to their participation at the Africa Cup of Nations. However, Casemiro is available after serving a suspension in the game against Aston Villa.
Senne Lammens is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Newcastle United on Friday. The central defensive unit will feature Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven, and Luke Shaw. Meanwhile, Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu will continue as the two wing-backs.
The wide duo will protect the centre-backs and provide width in the final third. As for the midfield unit, Lisandro Martinez may line up alongside Casemiro in the central areas after an impressive performance against Aston Villa. Finally, Benjamin Sesko will lead the line for Manchester United against Newcastle United, with Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount providing the supporting cast.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Lammens; Yoro, Heaven, Shaw; Dalot, Casemiro, Martinez, Dorgu; Mount, Cunha; Sesko
Newcastle United
Unlike his counterpart in the Manchester United dugout, Eddie Howe has received a positive update on the team news front ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. The Newcastle United manager will be without seven first-team players on Friday.
Nick Pope may be fit and available to take on Manchester United after recovering from a groin injury. However, Dan Burn (lungs), Valentino Livramento (knee), Kieran Trippier (hamstring), Sven Botman (lower back), Emil Krafth (knee), Jamaal Lascelles (knock), and William Osula (ankle) remain in the treatment room.
Nick Pope will replace Aaron Ramsdale between the sticks, with Newcastle United lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Friday. The backline will feature Lewis Miley, Malick Thiaw, Fabian Schar, and Lewis Hall.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, and Joelinton in the middle of the park. Finally, Nick Woltemade will spearhead the Newcastle United attack against Manchester United, with Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pope; Miley, Thiaw, Schar, Hall; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Woltemade, Gordon
Key Stats
- Manchester United have lost four of their last five Premier League games vs Newcastle United (W1), as many as they had in their previous 38 against the Tyneside outfit (W25 D9). The Magpies did the league double over Manchester United in the 2024/25 season, including a 2-0 win in the corresponding fixture. They have not won on consecutive visits to Old Trafford since March 1935, while they last won three in a row against the Red Devils in January 1922.
- Manchester United have won all three Premier League Boxing Day matches against Newcastle, with all three coming under different managers – 4-3 in 2012 (Sir Alex Ferguson), 3-1 in 2014 (Louis van Gaal) and 4-1 in 2019 (Ole Gunnar Solskjaer).
- Manchester United have lost the last three Premier League matches they have played between Christmas and New Year, as many as they lost in their previous 43 games between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve (W32 D8 L3). On the other hand, Newcastle United have won their two most recent away league matches played between Christmas and New Year, beating Leicester City on Boxing Day 2022 and Manchester United on December 30 last year. They had won just two of their previous 34 away league games played between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve (D6 L26).
- Manchester United have lost 14 Premier League games for the third consecutive calendar year. However, the Red Devils have not suffered more league defeats in a year since 1989 under Sir Alex Ferguson (18).
- Manchester United have failed to win their seven Premier League games since the 2022/23 campaign without Bruno Fernandes in the starting eleven, losing six matches (D1). The Red Devils have netted only four goals across those outings.
Player to Watch
Nick Woltemade
While Matheus Cunha, Mason Mount, and Anthony Gordon were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Nick Woltemade as the Player to Watch for Friday’s Premier League clash between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Old Trafford.
The 23-year-old has scored seven Premier League goals this season. The only German players to net more often in their debut campaign in the competition are Jurgen Klinsmann in 1994/95 (20), Lukas Podolski in 2012/13 (11) and Andre Schurrle in 2013/14 (8). So, Woltemade will be the go-to man for Eddie Howe in the final third on Boxing Day.
Prediction
Manchester United 1-2 Newcastle United
Manchester United’s recent run at home has not been impressive, as they have failed to beat Everton, West Ham United, and a struggling Bournemouth. With Bruno Fernandes unavailable for the next few weeks, that poor streak will continue, as the Red Devils often struggle in the club captain’s absence.
While Newcastle United’s struggles on the road suggest another unimpressive performance in an away game, facing a beleaguered Manchester United without half a dozen players may lead to a rare away triumph. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for Eddie Howe and his charges, with the English tactician managing only his third Premier League Boxing Day victory.