Newcastle v Manchester United – Premier League match preview

Magpies v Red Devils
Magpies v Red Devils
I’ve been remarkably quiet following the horror show at Southampton last weekend.

That’s probably because what I’d have said about it would have cause great offence, especially if you dislike reading swear words!

It was horrible, toothless and we were played of the park by a Southampton side who took advantage of the fact that we just didn’t turn up. I’m struggling to motivate myself with us having nothing on the line but I don’t expect the same from the players who are paid a lot of money to remain professional and give their all. They failed in that regard last weekend. They failed miserably.

To set the record straight they are going to need to pull something special out of the bag against a Manchester United side who have attracted their own critics this season. That Manchester United side drew with the European Champions in midweek shortly after seeing off Aston Villa 4-1 last weekend. They seem to be gathering momentum and whilst it might be too late for them to rescue their own season it’s still not a good sign for Newcastle.

Newcastle:

Five of the players who played in the 1-0 victory at Old Trafford earlier on in the season will not feature for the return fixture. Yohan Cabaye is now no longer with us after his January move to PSG, Mathieu Debuchy, Loic Remy and Moussa Sissoko are all out while Tim Krul remains sidelined. The whereabouts of Gabriel Obertan are unknown and Sammy Ameobi is also unavailable although Davide Santon could start after completing 45 minutes at St Mary’s last weekend.

Manchester United:

Robin van Persie misses out due to a sprained knee while Rafael and Alexander Buttner are both unlikely to feature due to hamstring complaints.

Previously…

The result earlier in the season means that Newcastle have a chance to do a league double over Manchester United for the first time since 1931. However it is worth pointing out that we’ve won just five games (out of 40) against the Red Devils since the inception of the Premier League.

At St James’ Park we do hold a slight historical advantage in terms of results. The 76 matches played have seen Newcastle win on 31 occasions compared to 28 wins for Manchester United.

However a formidable record at Old Trafford gives Manchester United the upper hand overall. Including the Charity Shield in 1996, FA Cup final in 1999 and FA Cup semi-final in 2005, a total of 156 games have been played between the two clubs. Manchester United have won 71 of those, Newcastle just 41 with 37 draws making up the numbers.

Stats and facts…

Loic Remy has missed the last five games. In that sequence we’ve scored one goal and picked up one win, both if which happened against Crystal Palace.

Wayne Rooney has scored ten goals against Newcastle. Only against Aston Villa has Rooney scored more.

Manchester United have the best away record in the Premier League having picked up 30 points from 48 on offer.

Newcastle have won only four of their last 14 Premier League matches.

Final thought…

As much as I’ve been critical of our levels of motivation recently, I’m not too bothered about that for games like this. For whatever reason we always tend to be able to get ourselves ‘up’ for games like these and if we haven’t got a point to prove after last weekend then we may aswell all get our buckets and spades out now.

However I think the amount of players we have missing will cause us a problem, particularly in attack where we’ve looked impotent without Loic Remy. Sometimes stats lie but our record without him has been poor and that can’t be ignored. Unfortunately I think it will once again cost us in this one.

Howay the lads!

Date: Saturday, 5th April, 2014

Time: 3pm

Venue: St James’ Park

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

876 thoughts on “Newcastle v Manchester United – Premier League match preview

  1. KIM would not be to happy with Jol like,did just OK at spurs but was very poor at Fulham but tempting to get rid of pacman but not what I would hope for the toon

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  2. I see Pardew is kissing Ashleys **** again.. He said its nice to see mike watching 4 games in a long time.. Nice?? he own the f**ing club he should take an interest considering he said we would be the new Arsenal, Villa etc.

    He obviously doesnt give a **** if he’s getting praised for watching 4 games 🙄 knob 😀

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  3. Colback? I think he’d be a cracking signing for Ashley. Great replacement for Cabaye, Bags of energy, can run all day for Pardew, not much creativity, hasnt got much pace and doesnt score many. Should keep us firmly mid-table if we sign him..

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  4. Ice@826, Aye , I was shocked to read that like, but knowing Jabba I can see him sanctioning that appointment. 🙄

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  5. I seen Alan Pardews double today, I felt sorry for him. It looked like his older brother or something but I was to afraid to ask ?

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  6. Kim I was working in crystal palace today and stopped at a service station for a morning coffee. He looked so pissed off I didn’t say anything. I wouldn’t want his face put it that way. I felt sorry for him.

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  7. I know Kim but imagine the stick he gets for looking like him. He would probably make a better manager than him so that’s a compliment really.

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  8. Stem , I was just thinking we could abduct Pards hide him away for the foreseeable and stick his doppleganger in Toon, lets face it he couldn’t be any worse right now. 🙄

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  9. unfortunately no, he was in front me ordering a drink then turned around and I was absolutely gob smacked. I wanted to ask if he was Alan Pardews brother but I didn’t want to offend him. He looked pissed off so it might have been him. Certainly explains why the players haven’t been training well. I could of got his number 4 u Kim ?

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  10. It’s actually quite funny, when you stop and think of it. 😆
    Jabba really is a clueless ******
    I’d imagine Jol would get a reaction initially. A honeymoon period.
    But he generally loses the plot soon after.
    I guess it would just be good to get rid of the fool to start with, and see what happens.
    Don’t know if Jol would tow the party line, when Jabba starts pulling the rug out from under him.

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  11. Stem , It was a season or so back ,I told the others on here about it . He was digging a massive hole in my garden , when I challenged him about it ,well screamed at him actually, he just laughed in a weird manic type of way 🙄 ,it was well weird. Very unsettling , why was he in my garden digging a hole 😕 .Anyway off now laters, hopefully no Pards dreams. 😉

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  12. Jabba will **** himself when he finds out that he wants a million in wages.
    I can quite confidently say he wont be coming to NUFC 😉

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  13. Hello all.
    What a fucking load of ****.
    I wish Pardew would **** off. Unbelievable he’s still here.
    That’s all.
    Goodnight, and be cool. 😎

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  14. Kim just hope and pray that when he does get sacked by Newcastle that he doesn’t take over Bristol City.

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  15. I’m not watching the Stoke match for Pardew reasons. The man’s not a tactical nightmare. enjoy the beating and anyone going to the 4-0 nightmare and listen to a lame excuse you have my sympathy.

    Pardew Out

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  16. I think pacman is starting to think the french guys are not up for games and who would blame them,the clubs going backwards the world cup coming up and Stoke kick everything above grass level

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  17. Oh so has Pardoom finally twigged on to what the rest of us worked out weeks ago, namely that The Frenchies are only interested in being fit for the WC.
    Well LR isn’t even our player, so **** him. If I was Pardoom, I wouldn’t play him at all for the rest of the season.
    Go to the youth, nowt to lose.

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  18. I don’t blame the players, but equally, I wouldn’t pander to them either.
    Make them sweat on it for a couple more weeks. See how desperate they will become to play then.
    Make them all play against Liverpool tho. 😆

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  19. BB there is no heart in the players or the club now,and I think the heart going out of a lot of fans too mate

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  20. Lets be honest, Remy has a good change of going to the WC and he’s only on loan with us. Why on earth would he put anything like 100% in to our matches when there’s absolutely nothing to play for and the rest of the team went on their summer holidays in January.

    Gary Neville summed it up for when he said Newcastle are the team everybody would like to play between now and the end of the season. That’s shocking! 😯 🙄

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  21. Ice,

    I think the fans who still accept Pardew being in charge are the ones who have lost their heart.

    Accepting mediocrity, accepting horrible football, lies, amateurish behaviour, embarressing performances.

    They obviously just don’t care anymore. They’ve given up.

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  22. Fans blaming the Frenchman are also really aiming their anger in the wrong direction.

    They aren’t motivated because they don’t believe in their boss or his tactics or his style of play.

    It’s not just them. The Dutch, the Argentines, the youngsters that go backwards. Most of the fans. No one believes in this *****. Its hard to give 100% to a cause you have no faith in.

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  23. JJ – of course you are right. The way he has shat all over Benny will not endear him to any of the other froggies either.
    I honestly believe the players have no confidence left in him and are simply going thru the motions.
    It can only get worse from now on.
    I would say the sooner this season is over the better. But the thought of more of the same next season is nothing to look forwards to either.
    Add to that the summer transfer fiasco, and its nearly time to call it a day.
    oh joy 👿 🙁

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  24. What do you guys make of this:

    In his interviews yesterday, the Newcastle manager was asked why he was not giving younger players like Adam Armstrong an opportunity in the first team.

    This is what Alan Pardew said:

    “I think it’s a little bit unfair,” “I gave Oxlade-Chamberlain his debut at Southampton when he was 16 or 17. Mark Noble was definitely 16. Jonjo Shelvey was 16 or 17. I don’t shy away from young players, in fact, nothing gives me more pleasure.”

    “But I have to protect the welfare of the player. Now this player is coming into a team at the moment that is not functioning very well. I’m not sure he is quite ready to start at this level in his own confidence, so I don’t want to damage him in any way.”

    “If the team was performing better, if we were looking like we were bossing games, I think that would be an environment where he could come on. So we’ve got to earn the right for him.”

    “With fans calling for him, I think I would probably get a lot of plaudits if I put him in the team. But actually that’s not the right decision for him or the team, so I am resisting that at the moment for the player, more than anything.”

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  25. BB – usual defensive bollocks from the fool. I know best, of course you do!
    Can’t see the harm in blooding the kid even if he runs around and achieves nothing. At least he’ll get used to big crowds and the whole PL atmosphere, and of course playing in a truly ***** team 😯

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  26. I just think he is wrong on this one (surprise surprise)
    If he is waiting until we are completely dominating a match and winning, then we will never see Arma play.
    OK I wouldn’t be starting the kid, but give him 30 mins or something.
    I don’t think 5 mins at the death of a match will do him any good either mind.
    It’s not like we have anything to play for, so what’s to lose.
    I just don’t see how it will possibly damage his welfare.
    clueless ***** from Pardoom yet again imho

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  27. BB,
    If the side were performing well he’d stick with the side saying that he doesn’t want to change a formula that’s working.

    He’d still bring Shola on with 15 minutes to go even with a youngster on the bench he can develop.

    The fact of the matter is there is no better time to give a youngster experience than now. There is nothing to lose, nothing to play for.

    Even the pressure of being in a struggling team is GOOD experience.

    Plus these youngsters will be putting in a lot more effort than the players starting now. There’s at least some sort of motivation to prove themselves and gain a contract.

    Pardew is useless. Absolutely useless. I think he’s more damaging than Ashley. Only reason I hate Ashley more is because he employs the guy.

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  28. JJ as a very young boy my dad took me to see toon win the FA cup in 55,also got me tickets for home and away when we won the Fairs Cup as he was pally with JH,and I was a season ticket holder for many years until a couple of years ago I gave it in because of jabba,so you understand I have seen all sorts at SJP but now I have no heart left never thought I would ever be like this that’s how bad things are mate

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  29. So If Pacman doesn’t wanna play Arma in case it damages him ,why on earth is he taking up a place on the bench then 😕

    Bollocks from him as per usual, it’s never ending. 👿

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  30. Ice@869, We can only hope Rangers keep going strong and next season he sells us and buys them really .They are our only hope now as he’s doing too well on the advertising front to sell us yet.

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  31. KIM what I worry about is if any signings we may make is if pacman has any input on them as he does not have a clue 1980 type players are dead and gone but he is still living in that era,god help us waisting money we rarely spend

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  32. cheeses Icedog, that’s worse than me.
    I was first dragged along to see this Lad called Peter Beardsley in 1984.
    It was near the end of the season in the old 2nd division.
    Beardo scored twice, Keegan and Waddle also scored.
    The Gallowgate was rocking and I was hooked forever.
    Now the Gallowgate is like a morgue. There is NO atmosphere whatsoever and I no longer have my season ticket. 🙁
    My son does, but the young’uns today don’t know what it was like back then to compare it with.
    We argue a lot and he says I am wrong to give up, but I can see even he is getting jaded by it all.
    I am shocked that despite myself and many others giving up their seats, the average home crowd this season is still over 50k.
    But there you go. Jabba wins regardless. 👿

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  33. Charnley also talked of strengthing the squad below the first team IE improve on Shola, Obertan, Marveaux, Saylor, Gosling, De Jong etc. which would probably make five or so about right

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