What has become the traditional Boxing Day travel for fans of NUFC will see us visit Old Trafford this time for our ninth Boxing Day away league game in the last ten seasons.
It’s not the best fixture in truth as our record at Old Trafford is shocking and the strength of Manchester United is something that pretty much everyone knows about, but all we can do is try our best and hope.
We’ve been on the end of some real hammerings from Alex Ferguson’s side over the years and we’ve failed to beat them away from home in more than my lifetime. It is quite simply a “write off” as far as I’m concerned and if we can sneak a point then I’d be over the moon. With the relative form of both sides though I can, unfortunately, only see one outcome though.
Manchester United:
Alex Ferguson is reportedly ready to make some changes after failing to beat Swansea on Saturday. Robin van Persie should be fine to play after his near-death experience at the Liberty Stadium. Sir Alex is reportedly asking for footballs to be banned from football matches as a safety precaution.
Joking aside, Rafael will undergo a fitness test after missing the match against Swansea with a hamstring injury while Anderson and Nani are doubtful with the same complaint. Shinji Kagawa is back in training following a knee injury.
Newcastle United:
No new regarding injuries. Steven Taylor, Hatem Ben Arfa, Yohan Cabaye, Ryan Taylor, Haris Vuckic and Dan Gosling are all missing through various injuries whilst Cheik Tiote will miss this one as he serves a one match suspension for picking up his fifth booking of the season against QPR on Saturday.
Previously…
Well where do I start? It’s been over 40 years since we won a game at Old Trafford (2-0 back in February 1972) and we’ve only won nine games at the home of Manchester United in the entire 118 year history of meetings between the two sides. Manchester United have won 47 times on home turf with 20 draws making up the 76 games contested between the two clubs in Manchester.
Overall there have been 156 matches between the two sides in all competitions over the years. Manchester United have won 79 of them, Newcastle United have won 40 of them, and the other 37 have ended in a draw.
Stats and facts:
Manchester United have the best record of Premier League matches on Boxing Day. They’ve played 18 in the Premier League, won 15 and lost just one.
Manchester United have taken more Premier League points off us than any other team. The Red Devils have picked up 75 points from the Magpies in the Premier League era.
Manchester United have scored in 57 consecutive Premier League home games. The last time they failed to score at home was during a 1-0 loss against Aston Villa in December 2009.
Newcastle are most prolific away from home in the fifteen minutes after half-time. Six of the 12 away league goals scored this season have been in this period.
Final thought…
I can usually dig up some positive statistics for the last section but this time around it was a real struggle which kind of puts into perspective how tough this game will be. The sad thing is I could have kept going with various nuggets about Manchester United, such as Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie’s scoring records against us…
As I said right at the top of the article, the best we can do is go to Old Trafford and give it our best shot. We’ve had teams that have been playing better than this current one be sent home from Manchester United with their tails whipped so I guess we just have to hope for the best and see what happens.
Howay the lads!
Date: Wednesday, 26th December, 2012
Time: 3pm
Venue: Old Trafford
Team News: Newcastle United: (4-3-3) Krul; Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini (c), Santon; Anita, Perch, Bigirimana; Cisse, Ba, Marveaux
Subs: Elliot, Tavernier, Ferguson, Obertan, Sammy Ameobi, Campbell, Shola Ameobi
Manchester United: De Gea; Smalling, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra (c); Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs; Van Persie, Hernandez.
Subs: Lindegaard, Wootton, Tunnicliffe, Vidic, Cleverley, Fletcher, Buttner
get in Marv 😀
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Yes! If he will start then Obertan HAS to try and go past the full back and try and balls into those areas….
ToonTom(Quote)
To think if Jonas wasn’t out we might not have had Marv scoring
Big Dave(Quote)
Brilliant Krul 😎
KIMTOON(Quote)
great save Krul
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
well done Krul 😯
Big Dave(Quote)
dare to believe we can get something from this match
come on Lads
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Can we make a bid for Walcott please Jabba 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
well done again Krul
Big Dave(Quote)
FFS 😈
Big Dave(Quote)
ffs fannying on our own box
*****
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Are we going to do a Man Ure or are we just going to keep defending like fcking *****?
Stuart79(Quote)
ffs 🙁
Johno Toon(Quote)
Tiote poor passing is kind of expected but losing ball likie that is shocking…goal down to him……
ToonTom(Quote)
****** hell Tiote. Give the ball away then stand there ball watching. Play Cabaye defensively and sell Tiote.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
fu**in tiote again.. 😕
mark(Quote)
FFS not again ,if Jabba doesn’t sort out our backline in january I swear I will self combust. What’s the point of scoring 2 or 3 away from home only to collapse like a pack of cards ,i’m sick of it. 👿
KIMTOON(Quote)
Parallels of Man Utd game….
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
**** seem to have found another gear
Big Dave(Quote)
Tiote a liability in all
KIMTOON(Quote)
Pure class Marv. Well played Demba
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Ba yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Now fucking hang on for a point ffs
KIMTOON(Quote)
**** me this is amazing football from us
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Get in Ba 😆 😆 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
YES! Now lets bloody keep this going…………….
ToonTom(Quote)
whats pardew saying. ❓ ❓
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Kim I don’t think it will end at 3-3
Big Dave(Quote)
oh no Giroud coming on 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
pardew says no more leaking goal. NO MORE. 👿
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Lovely from Marveaux for that goal….shouldnt all be about Ba….
ToonTom(Quote)
If we have scored another 3 away from home and come from behind each time and we still end up losing I will be hopping mad ,we simply must hold on now for the point.
KIMTOON(Quote)
This is like the 90’s
Stuart79(Quote)
I hope we’re not going to try to sit back and defend now
Big Dave(Quote)
I thought for Arsenals 3rd cisse played the ball too hard for Tiote to control.
Johno Toon(Quote)
that just beggars belief that. we got lucky there
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
oh ffs 👿 👿 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Sorry but this is outrageous
Stuart79(Quote)
FFS not again
Big Dave(Quote)
Come on Cisse. Switch on
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Tiote.Standing still as watches Walcott drill it home…..nice
ToonTom(Quote)
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooffs ,had enough of this bollocks now ,total pisstake. 👿
KIMTOON(Quote)
I give up. Our defense is just hopeless.
all that came from Santons **** up in the arsenal half
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Sell Tiote to help fund Douglas, Debuchy, Remy (or equivalents)
Play Cabaye and Anita sitting, Marv behind the striker, Remy and HBA on the wings.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
I worry that if we don’t get anything from this game it could leave us deflated
IMO we need to keep at them
Big Dave(Quote)
Our attacking players must be absolutely totally pissed off!
We defended better under KK.
Stuart79(Quote)
well done Bigi almost a Tiote
Big Dave(Quote)
The only consolation is that they don’t look to canny at the back either.
Stuart79(Quote)
4-5 anyone?
Stuart79(Quote)
@Stuart79: We defended even better under CH. 😐
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
If we lose this it will be soul destroying ,utterly heartbreaking ,we get no reward for endeavor. So many teams come here and park the bus and snatch a point or 3 it’s criminal.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Stu have you been at the Sherry 😀 but why not 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
That’s a joke! Unless he chops his hand off he’s never getting out of the way of that.
Stuart79(Quote)
Kim @ 725 tbh I think if we had a bus we would have parked it 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
Slayer to the rescue anyone 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
I’m totally drained!
Can you imagine how good we could be if we had a decent centre half and a right back?
Stuart79(Quote)
Dave ,I don’t know about parking one ,right now I feel like jumping in front of one 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
Stu @ 730 you mean if we had built on to what we had when we had the chance
Big Dave(Quote)
Bollocks. Well that’s that. 6 goals in two games and **** all to show for it. Not sure if it’s morale boosting or demoralizing.
SJP14(Quote)
**** take 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Fuk that we’ll never get back now
Big Dave(Quote)
abject defending
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
This could be anything now…
But what more can be said about our defending?
Two defenders just stood watching him.
Oh and by the way this is our 8th defeat in 10. Relegation form.
Stuart79(Quote)
game over ,fecking joke ,useless defence ,bunch of @*$@$ for owner and MD .Get out or reinforce us you tw*@$s.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Ah well that’s it.
Tbh I expected to concede 9 odd goals from the two games, didn’t expect to score 6 or have put in such good showings.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
**** that’s embarassing.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
****. enuff already
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
😈 😈 😈 😈 😈
Big Dave(Quote)
Attacking we are a decent team the french lads are showing what they can do ,We need this defence sorted big time . God knows how pardew picks them up for the Everton game .
Axel(Quote)
wenger says he never saw it 😆
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
I think once we let in the 4th goal Pards decided tactically concede as many as possible to see in January and signal to Ashley just how badly defensive signings are needed… I can dream.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
From a good effort to the possibility of a season defining moment maybe?
Stuart79(Quote)
Like I said soul destroying ,total collapse now like ,this will have ramifications on the squad ,twice in one week is not good for confidence. Oh and now their fans are singing ,fickle p*@$*@.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Good see Mike and Derek’s plan being executed to perfection this season.
When was it that they decided they didn’t need a centre half and a right back after looking for them for 6 months?
Stuart79(Quote)
No backbone. Bunch of effin weak minded children out there.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
unbelievable fucking bullshit
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)