Newcastle vs Man United – Premier League: Live score, team news and updates as Erik ten Hag keeps faith in Andre Onana while Kobbie Mainoo is trusted in midfield
Marcus Rashford is struggling so far with nothing seeming to work for the England international. He is being marshalled out of the game by Newcastle’s defenders so far but keeps trying to find a way through.
Good tracking back by Fernandes (0-0)
Newcastle break and have a 3v3 against United’s defence and it’s Fernandes to the rescue as he makes a crucial interception. That was very much required.
Huge save by Onana denies Almiron (0-0)
Onana gets down well to react to Almiron’s shot and is helped out by his defenders who clear the remaining danger. That will give him some confidence while the Newcastle fans boo.
Great defending from Luke Shaw (0-0)
Shaw has to deal with Isak who shows quick-feet in the box, but the United defender wins the duel.
United beginning to find their feet (0-0)
It’s better from the visitors as United work the ball around the edge of the box well through Garnacho and Fernandes, with Wan-Bissaka also attempting a shot from range. Good game developing.
Garnacho forces a save from Pope (0-0)
Fernandes plays a beautiful ball for Garnacho to chase and he does just that before firing a shot on target that Pope saves well with his feet.
Dalot almost scores an own goal (0-0)
What is going on there from Diogo Dalot as he looks to pass back to Onana but kicks it up against his arm with the ball then heading towards goal before he clears at the second time of asking. This start won’t being giving United supporters much confidence.
Almiron creating early problems (0-0)
Newcastle’s passing has been supremely accurate so far and Miguel Almiron is making a nuisance of himself that United are struggling to deal with Wan-Bissaka erratically clears a cross while Luke Shaw isn’t looking comfortable at centre-back so far.
Newcastle are knocking at the door (0-0)
Livramento wins Newcastle their first corner of the match after skinning Marcus Rashford on the wing before seeing his cross cleared behind by Scott McTominay. The set-piece delivery is good, Onana flaps at it and Dalot eventually clears.
United defending nervously (0-0)
The hosts are continuing to work the ball around the pitch well and United’s defence is struggling to cope. It’s a bit last-ditch from the likes of Diogo Dalot, but there is space to counter-attack.
Newcastle looking to build pressure (0-0)
Newcastle are trying to get everyone a touch on the ball as they work around both halves in the opening exchanges. United’s defence has to be alert to the early ball in behind.
KICK OFF: Newcastle get us underway (0-0)
We’re underway in the north east!
Here come the players!
The teams are ready to go and are walking out into what is an electric St James’ Park, the early task for United is to make sure they don’t let Newcastle get off to a start that further boosts this wild home support.
Kick-off is just moments away and we will be bringing you all the key moments from the match.
The teenagers taking centre stage
There are so many narratives to go over heading into tongiht’s game, and what a moment this is for two teenagers, Newcastle’s Lewis Miley and Man United’s Kobbie Mainoo.
17-year-old Miley is making his fourth consecutive start for Eddie Howe’s side having impressend in recent performances, while Mainoo is making just his second Premier League start.
This will be a huge midfield battle to keep an eye on, both probably met each other in academy matches and now they are doing it in the English top-flight. This game can be won or lost in midfield and both with bee pivotal to their team’s success tonight.
Erik ten Hag expects ‘different’ Newcastle test
Erik ten Hag has just been speaking pre-match and explained Newcastle will provide his Man United side with a ‘different’ test than what they experienced midweek in the Champions League.
Victory for his team today would be a huge welcome boost to travelling supporters and he’s decided to start Luke Shaw at centre-back tonight in a tactical adjustment.
‘It’s a different game when you play Premier League and especially Newcastle. We have to adjust and we will do,’ Ten Hag told TNT Sports.
‘It’s a tactical change [Shaw] but also rotation part of it, we have to load the management of all players but for Luke at centre-half he has to run less.’
Tonight’s post-game permutations
Neither of tonight’s teams will be able to force their way into the Premier League’s top four with three points tonight, but they can move very close!
United are currently sixth in the league standings with 24 points while Newcastle are a point and position worse off.
A win for the home side would see them leapfrog Erik ten Hag’s side and into fifth, while the visitors can move just a point shy of Spurs and only six adrift of leaders Arsenal.
It’s tight at the top and both teams are desperate to get there.
Anthony Gordon insists Newcastle won’t harness a ‘victim mindset’
Newcastle supporters might still be irked from their midweek Champions League draw against PSG that saw them denied a famous win via a late penalty that was awarded by VAR.
The former Everton forward explained Newcastle feel good heading into tonight’s clash and explained there is no grieving over their performance in Europe.
‘I think we feel quite well and can take pride in how we performed. We deserved to win and don’t want to have a victim mindset when things go wrong,’ Gordon told TNT Sports.
ICYMI: England, Scotland and Wales find out Euro 2024 opponents
There was the small-matter of the group draw for next year’s European Championship in Germany prior to tonight’s Premier League clash, with England, Scotland and Wales finding out who they will face first.
READ THE FULL STORY BELOW
Stern-faced United ready for Newcastle test
There were very few smiles amongst United’s ranks as they arrived at the stadium and you wonder what type of reaction they will produce after their erroneous midweek trip to Turkey.
Fortunately, United’s Premier League form has been tight, but Newcastle away is one of the toughest tests in the top-flight.
Ten Hag keeps faith in Andre Onana
He backed him in Friday’s pre-match press conference and has followed up his words of encouragment with action as Erik ten Hag picks Andre Onana to start tonight.
The United goalkeeper is under pressure after a midweek howler in the Champions League, but is strangely also one of the top three performing keepers in the Premier League by recent statistics.
Onana will need to be at his best tonight against a fearsome Newcastle attack and you feel anymore errors could give Ten Hag a seriously tough choice to make over whether he is the club’s best shot-stopper.
MANCHESTER UNITED TEAM NEWS
Kobbie Mainoo starts his second consecutive Premier League start in midfield for Manchester United after starring in their impressive 3-0 win over Everton last weekend.
Anthony Martial is a surprise start in attack with Rasmus Hojlund instead placed on the bench by Erik ten Hag.
Alejandro Garnacho keeps his place on the left-wing for United having scored twice in his last two appearances including a wondergoal against Everton, meaning Marcus Rashford is likely to start on the right-wing for United.
NEWCASTLE TEAM NEWS
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe names and unhanged team from the side that started in last week’s 4-1 win over Chelsea at St James’ Park.
Here come the visitors
They had to take the long route to get to Newcastle after United’s plane was cancelled and onto the coaches it was, but Erik ten Hag’s side have arrived.
Ten Hag was al smiles as he walked down into the away dressing room at St James’ Park, while there were more steely expressions etched across the faces of Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund and Diogo Dalot.
Team news coming shortly.
Newcastle players arrive at St James’ Park
It’s going to get noisy in Newcastle tonight as we edge closer to kick off and home players have arrived at St James’ Park.
The hosts are just a single point adrift of United in the Premier League standings and you sense the home advantage could be a huge deciding factor tonight.
Erik ten Hag’s side have crumbled here before and they will have to find a way to not do so again.
Early team news
Tonight’s starting teams will be with us in around 15 minutes time, but we have some early selection regarding injuries and the players that are unavailable for tonight’s match.
Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff remains out with an ankle injury while forward Joe Willock is also unavailable but showing good signs of recovery from his injury.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hall is available for selection having missed last weekend’s win against his parent club Chelsea.
Marcus Rashford is available after serving a one-game suspension in the Champions League, but Mason Mount, Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen remain out.
Good evening and welcome to St James’ Park
Good evening and thanks for joining us for tonight’s Saturday evening Premier League encounter between Newcastle and Manchester United.
It’s cold and windy in the north east and the visitors have previously struggled at St James’ Park, tonight could be another difficult away trip as they travel further north while still reeling from a midweek draw in Turkey that left their Champions League ambitions in tatters.
Kick off is at 8pm and we have plenty to get through before then.