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
http://www.wiziwig.tv/competition.php?part=sports&competitionid=2&discipline=football
Big Dave(Quote)
Thats the team i thought it would be BIG DAVE and it does look a bit tasty attacking wise
Axel(Quote)
Axel thats what I heard aswell but ESPN had it as mid Jan
Big Dave(Quote)
great link up and workinh NOW
http://www.coolsport.tv/stream3.html
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Axel yeah it does but tbh I never like to see Perch at CB and the bench is a bit lacking
Big Dave(Quote)
Are we playing Man Ure again?
Stuart79(Quote)
SHAMROCK your right they have all been available this season but the whole team looked out of sorts . Now they seem too be playing better and picking their form up with Anita improving fast ,that might just give Cabs the kick up the **** he needs to kick on . Competion for places is whats needed and when fit our midfield has an abundance of quality in it , that will inspire the forwards too get more goals 1 or 2 quality defenders in and i am confident we will rise up the table . No europe but a place between 10 and 6 is on when everyone is fit .
Axel(Quote)
Waddle 😈
Big Dave(Quote)
Stu I think Toonsy is just back from working over Xmas and not well 🙁
Big Dave(Quote)
Thanks Big Dunc for the links….
ToonTom(Quote)
well this will give Wenger a good chance to have a good look at Ba 😆 😆
Lets get it on
Howay the Lads
Big Dave(Quote)
arsenal have only lost once in the last 21 games Foy has ref’d for them. And that was against manure in 2010
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
C’mon then lads
KIMTOON(Quote)
Howay the Lads
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
BB@612 Aargh ,that’s one stats I didn’t wanna here 🙁
KIMTOON(Quote)
The **** have been fast outta the blocks
Big Dave(Quote)
The ref is gonna penalise Tiote all day. No lea way whatsoever
****** 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
extra mapies on the pitch 😆 can we have him for a flying winger 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
nice build up play there.
no final product
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
We look nervous 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
Tiote’s passing is still way off
Big Dave(Quote)
Well done Bigi ,needed to be alert there
KIMTOON(Quote)
Ba should of done better there 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
Tiotes passing is **** today
KIMTOON(Quote)
Tiote again breaks an attack up with a ***** pass
Big Dave(Quote)
Always coming ffs
KIMTOON(Quote)
FFS 😈 so easy
Big Dave(Quote)
Ba needs to make his presence pay as they are not copeing with him
KIMTOON(Quote)
no end product over and over again.
poor delivery and ***** shooting
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
That was a soft goal AGAIN.
against the run of play too.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
I’m sorry, but Santon needs to decide if he is attacker or defender, bacause he is poor doing both
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Decentish play so far, unfortunately just not a good enough team out; ran our socks off at Old Trafford whereas they have had a week off.
Marv is looking good again.
Obertan is looking like another Shola, absolute cak when started, but a good option off the bench.
Nice to see where playing some good football again. Couple of new signings + injured players returning could see a much better second half of the season.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
God it’s quiet there isn’t it ❓
KIMTOON(Quote)
*Marv is looking good again, except his set pieces..!
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Think Anita would of done well today and Benny ,such bad luck they are out.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Marv is looking good again, but how fucking weak si Obertan at the moment.
HBA39(Quote)
Fucking Tiote ffs man get a grip or get off
liability 👿 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Can somebody please tell me why oh why is Obertan playing? We’re actually playing well but almost with 10 men. Surely Sami Ameobi or Ferguson would give us more??
Stuart79(Quote)
its just not happening for us is it ❓ 😕
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
great build up play ruined in the final third ,so frustrating.
KIMTOON(Quote)
thats just poor ball control from santon ffs
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
ffs that was close 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
oh gawd ,well saved Timmy
KIMTOON(Quote)
Fuk I thought they were in again
Big Dave(Quote)
Nice try Tiote
Big Dave(Quote)
Worth a shot I supose, on top yet losing typical at the moment 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
Yeah Marv’s corners are ***** so far
Big Dave(Quote)
Our high line is a tad scary what with Walcotts pace in all.
KIMTOON(Quote)
I’ve been very impressed with us today, although our final ball has been a bag of ****!
Stuart79(Quote)
Yes Ba you selfish man!
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa- At last a goal from a set piece 😯 😯 😯 😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
Get in Ba
Big Dave(Quote)
get in Ba.
We deserve that.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Totally deserved!!!
Stuart79(Quote)
Agree Stu
Last few games have been much improved in terms of passion and passing. Quality is just low. Most the players aren’t capable of playing better tbh so can’t be annoyed with them.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Oh Marv so close again
KIMTOON(Quote)
Stu as a team we’re more up for it and showing some real passion, it just seems to be wee stupid thinks that let us down.
Marv done well there
Big Dave(Quote)
I just hope this is the Toon of the rest of the season and it’s not just because we have been playing ( Big teams ) as we need to show the same against all teams
Big Dave(Quote)
ffs Ba. get it on target
Well we were the best team in that half.
A few mistakes, but hey. We have silenced the crowd.
Can only sing when they winning.
cnuts the lot of em
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Have too admit i was hurling a bit of abuse at the screen when i saw Demba Ba was going too take the free kick , Thinking why him 😳 😆
Axel(Quote)
OptaJoe @OptaJoe
18 – Demba Ba has now scored more Premier League goals away from home (18) than at home (17). Comfortable
😯
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
marv looks dangerous thru the middle. we’re playing the Arsenal way again, pass and move.
Hopefully we can keep it up and get a result
Toon Toon!
mark(Quote)
I suppose Wenger has changed his mind about buying Ba now , bet the miserable git offers Gervinho as a straight swap .
Axel(Quote)
Thanks for the info Big Dave and Axel and thanks everyone for the links 😀 1-1 not too bad. Annoyed their offside goal was given though. Timmy made some good saves. Everyone played well. The speed of Theo Walcott has been the most dangerous. Wish he played for us!
Jill(Quote)
Well done Ba. Without Ba, Colo, and Krul we would be in dire straits. Good half from Marveaux as well. Bit disappointed with Bigi so far. Some poor passes for giveaways. Colo a rock at the back as always. No big mistakes from Perch (yet). He’s not a CB so I don’t blame him for errors at that position. Up to the club to do the right thing there.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
why doesn’t anyone attack the ball when we get a cross into the box ????
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
ffs
KIMTOON(Quote)
ffs that was just too easy.
poor play from us
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
😈
Big Dave(Quote)
Defending is a f king shambles!!!!
Get Obertan off and Sameobi on and go for it!
Stuart79(Quote)
Simmo has to hold his hands up for that as that was fuking stupid
Big Dave(Quote)
been on the porridge at HT again 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Humble pie…
Stuart79(Quote)
Marvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvoulous get in 😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
Get in Marv 😀
Big Dave(Quote)