The Manchester United faithful will embark on a midweek trip North to face an out-of-sorts Newcastle, who are struggling to generate any semblance of domestic momentum.
Michael Carrick has restored the feel-good factor in the fan base, overseeing six wins from seven outings, while guiding his team to third in the Premier League.
In contrast, Eddie Howe’s men have lost their previous three home league fixtures and sit 12 points behind Liverpool in the race for Champions League qualification.
United will arrive off the back of a 2-1 victory against Crystal Palace, with Bruno Fernandes and Benjamin Sesko again highlighting their sparkling confidence and importance for Carrick’s system.
Still, regardless of form, visits to St James’ Park have been anything but straightforward for the Reds in recent seasons, last earning three points under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in October 2020.
Manchester United Team News
Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw endured illnesses ahead of Sunday’s fixture, with the latter withdrawn after 24 minutes following a collision, before Harry made way for Ayden Heaven towards the end.
However, Carrick has ruled out further setbacks and is hopeful both will feature on Wednesday. “Yeah, we’re hoping so,” he stated about their potential involvement at St James’ Park. “We’re working towards it.
“They weren’t feeling too good. We’ve still got a little bit of time to the game, and we will just have to see how they feel. So we’ll obviously give them every chance.
“No, it wasn’t injury, it’s just both of them weren’t feeling too good. So, yeah, it’s one of those things, really. But we’ll just have to see how they are today and tomorrow morning.”
Lisandro Martinez, Mason Mount, and Matthijs de Ligt were all absent through injury at Old Trafford, and it remains unlikely we will see any of the trio in Newcastle.
Patrick Dorgu continues his rehabilitation following an unfortunate setback sustained during our 3-2 win against Arsenal at the Emirates.
Having built a six-point advantage on Chelsea, while retaining a three-point lead on Liverpool, victory at a difficult ground could further cement the foundations for a return to Champions League football.
That said, few Reds will take anything for granted against a Newcastle side who routinely rise to the occasion when United are in town.
Carrick will be well aware of the threat posed on Wednesday evening, but these are the type of tests that allow top-tier sides to prove their worth in the face of potential adversity.
Given the lack of midweek football we have become accustomed to this season, a three-day turnaround will offer some fresh insight into the capabilities of this squad.
Additionally, it’s hard to imagine the hosts being content to sit deep and absorb pressure. So, we should have an entertaining spectacle on our hands when Peter Bankes begins proceedings at 20:15 GMT.
Predicted Manchester United starting XI: (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Mazraoui, Maguire, Yoro, Dalot; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Bruno, Cunha; Sesko.
Will Manchester United earn a first win at St James’ Park in over five years? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or across our socials.
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