Chris Sutton has released his prediction for tonight’s fixture at Old Trafford as Newcastle United seek out just our second league win away to Man United since 1972 and a first since 2013.
Both teams come into this game on the complete opposite run of form with Man United succumbing to a third successive defeat after losing 2-0 to Wolves on Boxing day, while Newcastle are hoping to make it five wins on the bounce.
A big boost for us is that both Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte are suspended, meaning the hosts will be forced into a makeshift midfield missing their captain and key creator.
Sutton releases Man Utd vs Newcastle prediction
In his latest prediction piece for BBC Sport, Chris Sutton has shared his thoughts on both clubs ahead of tonight’s 8pm kick-off at Old Trafford.
Despite Newcastle’s poor record at the so-called theatre of dreams, Sutton is predicting our good form to continue on Monday with a narrow victory against Ruben Amorim’s side.
Sutton said: ‘I said before Christmas that I thought Newcastle would hit their stride and they have done exactly that. The way they are playing, they should win at Old Trafford and make it four league wins in a row.
‘Manchester United’s form is the exact opposite. I am not concerned about Amorim getting the sack but it really does not help when your goalkeeper keeps on conceding goals direct from a corner – that is under-12s stuff.
I remember it happening when I was watching my son play when he was about 15 and he got done off a corner. I told him you would never see it happen to a professional goalkeeper, but it has happened twice in two weeks to Manchester United – first to Altay Bayindir and then Andre Onana. You could not make it up.
I need to apologise here though, because I was far too kind to Manchester United last week when I said they would get a draw at Wolves.
Their fans give me so much stick on social media whenever I say they will lose that it must have got to me a bit – I have become a bit of a chicken and have put them down to get a draw when my gut feeling has been for them to lose.
That has got to stop, because they are rubbish. That is not on Amorim because we will judge him when he has a chance to bring in his own players but, for now, we have to see them for what they are, which is a really poor side.
Sutton’s prediction: Man Utd 1-2 Newcastle
Man Utd sit way down in 14th in the Premier League table and way off the pace set by our other top-six rivals.
Newcastle on the other hand are on the rise after a rocky start and a win would put us firmly in the race for a Champions League position, seeing us to overtake Man City and Bournemouth by moving into fifth.
The best chance we’ll get to beat them?
Howe and his team should be looking at this as the greatest opportunity in recent memory to record a rare victory at Old Trafford where they have lost their last two games against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth.
Newcastle supporters, however, have been scarred by a false sense of security before and no doubt many of us won’t be feeling overly confident heading into the game despite the facts suggesting we should be.
Another three points on the road would see the gap between us and the Red Devils extend to 10 points and give us a huge confidence boost heading into the new year.
We then face a trip to Tottenham on the 4th January before our fixtures start to look a little bit kinder with the likes of Wolves, Bournemouth and Fulham making the trip to St James’s Park while we travel to Southampton in between.
