Manchester United-Newcastle is a replay of the thirty-fourth day of the Premier League and is played Wednesday at 9 p.m.: live TV, probable formations, predictions.
Last call for a Manchester United increasingly in crisis and now in danger of being left out of everything. Back-to-back defeats to Crystal Palace (4-0) and Arsenal (0-1) have sent Erik ten Hag’s team plunging, the protagonist of another unsuccessful and below-expectation season.
Chelsea, in fact, took advantage of this to leapfrog the Red Devils, who now occupy an anonymous eighth place and have three points to make up against the Blues – also engaged in a recovery – and Newcastle, with whom Manchester United will play their now remaining chances of qualifying for a European competition (Europe or Conference League). Indispensable, then, to get the better of the Magpies to stay in the race. In any case, this will go down in history as one of the worst years for the Red Devils, who have not collected 19 defeats in the various competitions since the 1977-78 season. Also alarming is the figure for goals conceded: there are 82 overall, numbers that United had not recorded in 53 years.
The new ownership will have to work hard in the summer to strengthen a squad that, despite the millions spent, has not lived up to the club’s ambitions. The first to pack his bags will undoubtedly be the hotly contested Ten Hag, whose English adventure seems to be coming to an end.
The Magpies can call it quits
There is a different air at home in Newcastle instead. No, Eddie Howe has failed to repeat his fourth-place finish of a year ago, but he has plenty of extenuating circumstances, starting with continuing injuries.
The Magpies have regrouped in the very end of the season, winning five of their last eight games: the only knockout came last April at home to Crystal Palace, while at the weekend they were stopped at St. James’ Park by Brighton (1-1). Howe is expected to field Anderson again in midfield, among the best against the Seagulls, and will likely again be able to count on returnees Pope, Trippier and Joelinton. Numerous defections also among the hosts, who will most likely not have Mount and Diallo either.
The prediction
Newcastle have been a nightmare for ten Hag lately: the whitewashers have won their last three challenges without conceding a single goal, but it is also true that they have not won at Old Trafford since 2013. Those who are better off at the moment are undoubtedly the Magpies, but watch out for the pride of Manchester United, for whom this match is a kind of last resort. A draw, with both teams scoring, cannot be ruled out.
The probable formations of Manchester United-Newcastle
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Kambwala, Evans, Dalot; McTominay, Mainoo; Bruno Fernandes, Antony, Garnacho; Hojlund.
NEWCASTLE (4-3-3): Dubravka; Trippier, Krafth, Burn, Hall; Anderson, Bruno Guimaraes, Longstaff; Almiron, Isak, Gordon.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
