By James Cormack
A pair of European hopefuls collide on Wednesday night when Manchester United welcome Newcastle to Old Trafford in the Premier League.
Man Utd failed to dent Arsenal's title charge at the weekend as they limped to a 1-0 defeat, struggling to lay a glove on the visitors in the absence of two key attackers. The storm which battered the Theatre of Dreams during Sunday's loss was the ultimate depiction of pathetic fallacy on the red side of Manchester, with Erik ten Hag's reign surely drawing to a close.
The Dutchman has not been helped by injuries, but United, who finished third last season, have slumped to eighth in the table and could possibly be without European football next term.
Their dire run has seen Newcastle usurp them in the standings, with the Magpies hopeful of enjoying another continental venture next season having seen their first Champions League campaign in 20 years end prematurely.
Eddie Howe's side dropped points at home to Brighton on Saturday and are now level with Chelsea, who face the Seagulls in midweek, on 57. A sixth-place finish would see Newcastle compete in next season's Europa League.
Here's 90min's preview of Wednesday's game at Old Trafford.
What time does Man Utd vs Newcastle kick-off?
- Location: Manchester, England
- Stadium: Old Trafford
- Date: Wednesday 15 May
- Kick-off Time: 20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT
- Referee: Rob Jones
- VAR: Jarred Gillett
Man Utd vs Newcastle H2H Record (Last Five Games)
- Man Utd: 1 win
- Newcastle: 3 wins
- Draws: 1
Current form (all competitions)
How to watch Man Utd vs Newcastle on TV and live stream
Man Utd team news
Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford both missed out again at the weekend despite the optimism surrounding their respective statuses before matchday. The pair could be in contention against Newcastle.
The hosts are likely to still be without a long list of defenders, including Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Victor Lindelof, Raphael Varane and Tyrell Malacia.
Mason Mount sustained another injury setback during the emphatic Crystal Palace defeat and may not feature again this season. Willy Kambwala could replace Casemiro at centre-back.
Man Utd predicted lineup vs Newcastle
Man Utd predicted lineup vs Arsenal (4-2-3-1):Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Kambwala, Evans, Dalot; Amrabat, Mainoo; Diallo, Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund.
Newcastle team news
Kieran Trippier returned to action off the bench at the weekend and could be in contention for a start in Manchester. His comeback is welcome given Newcastle are without defenders Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman.
Joe Willock and Lewis Miley have both been ruled out for the season, while Matt Targett is unlikely to feature on Wednesday night.
Newcastle predicted lineup vs Man Utd
Newcastle predicted lineup vs Man Utd (4-3-3): Dubravka; Trippier, Krafth, Burn, Livramento; Guimaraes, Longstaff, Joelinton; Almiron, Isak, Gordon.
Man Utd vs Newcastle score prediction
Sunday's clash with Arsenal was unusually tame by United's chaotic standards, with Ten Hag fortunate to face a Gunners side that wasn't at the races.
The Red Devils have plenty to make up for on the entertainment front and a festival of goals is in store in midweek.
Both sides arrive on Wednesday night with battered and bruised defences and, although United struggled mightily going forward at the weekend, the potential return of Fernandes will serve as a massive boost against the Magpies. However, it's tough to back this United side in any fixture at the moment.
The Ten Hag era is heading towards a sorry conclusion and Newcastle could become the latest side to win at the Theatre of Dreams.
Prediction: Man Utd 2-3 Newcastle
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This article was originally published on 90min.com as Man Utd vs Newcastle: Preview, predictions and lineups.
