United look for fourth straight win against Newcastle at Old Trafford

Keeping the tradition alive

Manchester United look to continue its longstanding tradition of beating Newcastle at Old Trafford.

It’s something the Reds have done with ease through the years, having lost just once in the last 35 matches with the Magpies on home soil.

In their history only, Liverpool (81) have lost more league matches to United than Newcastle, who are right behind the Merseysiders losing 80. 

The Reds desperately need three points as they trail rivals Manchester City by 10 points in the Premier League title race.

While United is desperate to gain ground, Steve Bruce’s side is desperate to put a little distance between themselves and the bottom feeders.

The Magpies are in 17th position with the last relegation team Fulham just six points behind them.

Lineup News

Edinson Cavani and Donny van de Beek will need to pass fitness tests ahead of Sunday’s fixture. Both of them missed the team’s 4-0 Europa League win on Thursday with muscle injuries.

Scott McTominay played in their mid-week encounter in Turin, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer suggested they may need to look at his availability this weekend.

Paul Pogba and Phil Jones remain out with thigh and knee injuries, respectively.

Steve Bruce won’t have top goalscorer Callum Wilson to count on once again. The Newcastle striker remains out with a hamstring injury.

Full-back Javi Manquillo continues to recover from an ankle injury and won’t play.

Midfielder Jeff Hendrick is available for this one after missing Monday’s match with Chelsea through suspension.

Seeking a threepeat

Scoring goals against Newcastle has not been a problem for the Reds lately as they’ve routed the Magpies on several occasions.

United has won its last two encounters with Newcastle by a score of 4-1. 

The Reds haven’t won three straight league games by a three-goal margin against the same opponent since they did it to Aston Villa between April 2013-March 2014.

Trailing

Coming from behind has become part and parcel for Man United this season.

The Reds seem to be at their very best when trailing.

 United’s conceded the opening goal in 11 Premier League games this season. They came away with three points seven times in those encounters and lost only three.

In United’s last three league matches with Newcastle, they’ve conceded the opening goal every time but went on to win the previous two.

Getting Involved

Marcus Rashford is always in the mood for goals, especially when he faces Newcastle.

The United striker has scored in three of his last four Premier League games versus the Magpies.

He’s played a part in six goals in his last six EPL appearances against Newcastle.

Sunday Funday

While many are enjoying a day a rest, Man United has its own religious tradition on Sundays, and it involves winning.

United tends to put in their hard work on Sundays more than any other Premier League side on the sabbath.

The Reds have earned 529 Premier League points on Sunday and won 154 games on that day, more than any side in league history.

They average 1.86 points-per-game on Sundays in the league, the best such ratio on that day of the week (min. 3 games).

Sorely missed

All season long, the Magpies have relied almost exclusively on striker Callum Wilson.

Wilson has netted ten times on a team that’s only scored 25 goals in the league this season.

When he’s not playing, the Magpies suffer tremendously. They’ve lost all three times he hasn’t played in a Premier League match, going scoreless each time out.

Managers Words

Ahead of Sunday’s match United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says his team needs to make smarter decisions against defence-minded sides like Newcastle.

“We have to learn to adapt to every single game; it’s about learning from every game,” he said. “So, in the last [Premier League] game, for example, West Brom defended deep, and it wasn’t good enough from us.

“We knew about the spaces on Thursday, so we have to play the game correctly, and it’s also about quality when you create chances to take that last pass or last cross. It’s about getting better and improving all the time.”

Match Info

Sunday’s match from Old Trafford kicks off at 7 pm. (JSL).