Man United v Newcastle: Line-ups, stats and preview

Man United v Newcastle preview

Manchester United will go fifth in the Premier League if they beat Newcastle at home on Friday – but manager Ruben Amorim is making no secret of the impact of losing Bruno Fernandes after the captain was substituted at half-time in their 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa last Sunday.

United’s playmaker has a muscle injury and Amorim explained how the Portugal international’s influence extends beyond creativity.

“At every set-piece, he is the guy who is organising the team,” said Amorim. “He understands every position on the field, he pays attention to every detail.

“When you have a substitution, he is always the guy telling the other guys where they should be.

“I am confident we can win any game. We have some problems but, even without many players, I believe in the team and trust in my players. If we are really focused, we can win.”

Newcastle have won one of their last four league games but are guaranteed eighth place with victory and will rise above their opponents into seventh if they win by more than one goal.

“Consistently winning and putting together winning runs has eluded us this season,” said manager Eddie Howe, adding that he was “really happy” with the “majority” of his side’s 2-2 draw at home to Chelsea last Saturday.

“Statistically, [United] are a lot stronger than last year. They’ve seen a big improvement in their general performances.

“That echoes what you see with your eyes. They’ve been competitive. Attacking-wise, they’ve got some good threats.

“This will be a good, tough game for us. It’s a good chance, at Christmas, to feel the magnitude of these games. The atmosphere will be special.”

Manchester United v Newcastle team news

Casemiro is available after suspension in United’s midfield, where academy prospect Jack Fletcher made his senior debut against Villa, with Kobbie Mainoo injured and centre-back Lisandro Martinez deputising for Bruno.

Centre-backs Harry Maguire (thigh) and Matthijs de Ligt (back) are out with short-term injuries. Midfielder Amad Diallo is with the Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, where wideman Noussair Mazraoui is representing Morocco and forward Bryan Mbeumo is playing for Cameroon.

First-choice goalkeeper Nick Pope could return from a groin injury for Newcastle but defenders Dan Burn (ribs/punctured lung), Kieran Trippier (hamstring), Sven Botman (back) and Jamaal Lascelles (knee) remain out injured.

Forward William Osula has an ankle problem and full-back Tino Livramento could be close to a return to training following a knee issue.

“We’re waiting to get full clarification and hoping it’s not serious and he can resume full training quite quickly,” Howe said of Livramento. “Hopefully, it’s good news. There’s a chance.”

Man United v Newcastle predicted line-ups

Manchester United starting XI: Senne Lammens, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven, Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot, Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro, Patrick Dorgu, Mason Mount, Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha

Newcastle starting XI: Aaron Ramsdale, Fabian Schar, Malick Thiaw, Emil Krafth, Lewis Hall, Bruno Guimaraes, Lewis Miley, Joelinton, Jacob Murphy, Nick Woltemade, Anthony Gordon

How to watch Man United v Newcastle: TV channel, live online stream

Kick-off on Friday is at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT), with live coverage in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Ultra.

Via Now TV, Sky Sports costs £14.99 for a day membership, £28 a month for a 12-month membership or £34.99 a month with no contract.

Sky Sports memberships include access to all 12 live Sky Sports channels and Sky Sports+, which offers live streams and a dedicated channel.

Streaming is available on a vast variety of devices via the Sky GO app.

Manchester United v Newcastle stats

• This is the first Boxing Day in Premier League history to see as little as one game being played and is between the team with the most Boxing Day wins in the competition (United, 22) and the side with the joint-most Boxing Day defeats (Newcastle, 16)
• United have lost four of their last five Premier League games against Newcastle (W1) – as many as they did in their previous 38 in the fixture (W25 D9)
• They have won all three of their Premier League Boxing Day games against Newcastle, all under different managers – 4-3 in 2012 (Alex Ferguson), 3-1 in 2014 (Louis van Gaal) and 4-1 in 2019 (Ole Gunnar Solskjaer)
• All of their last three Premier League matches played between Christmas and New Year have been defeats – as many as they suffered in their previous 43 games between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve (W32 D8 L3)
• In the seven Premier League games when Bruno has not been in their starting line-up since the 2022/23 campaign, United have lost six times, drawn once and scored a total of four goals
• Newcastle did the league double over Manchester United last season, including a 2-0 win in this exact fixture
• They last completed consecutive wins at Old Trafford in March 1935 and last made it three straight wins against them in January 1922
• The Magpies have won their last two away league matches played between Christmas and New Year, beating Leicester on Boxing Day 2022 and United on December 30 last year. They had won two of their previous 34 away league games played between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve (D6 L26)
• Nick Woltemade 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)
• Howe has won seven of his 13 Boxing Day league games as a manager (D3 L3), including all five outside of the top flight as Bournemouth and Burnley manager between 2009 and 2014, although he has a 25% win ratio in such games in the Premier League (P8 W2 D3 L3)

Man United v Newcastle prediction

What To Do If You Have A Gambling Problem

We understand that gambling can be fun, but it is always important to gamble responsibly. If you are struggling with a gambling problem, please do not hesitate to ask for help. There are people who can help you get on the road to recovery. Below, we have listed some helpful resources to help aid you on the road to recovery.

• National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133
• GamCare: https://www.gamcare.org.uk
• GambleAware: www.gambleaware.com