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Newcastle vs Manchester United LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction tonight

Follow all the fallout from St James’ Park

Michael Jones
Monday 27 December 2021 22:54 GMT
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A frustrated Ralf Rangnick at St James’ Park
A frustrated Ralf Rangnick at St James’ Park (Manchester United via Getty Images)

Newcastle United welcome Manchester United to St James’ Park this evening as the visitors take to the pitch for the first time in over two weeks.

Covid-related disruptions to the Premier League’s calendar saw Man United’s fixtures against Brighton and Brentford postponed earlier this month, with the Red Devils’ Carrington training ground closed for a brief period thereafter. It remains to be seen whether the lack of action will help or hinder Ralf Rangnick’s seventh-placed team, who may be slightly short of match sharpness but who have had a bit more time to get used to their new interim coach’s style of play. A victory here would take them fifth.

Meanwhile, Newcastle’s fortunes have not improved much in their relegation battle since Eddie Howe’s appointment as head coach, and an admittedly tough recent run of games has seen the Magpies beaten 4-0 by Man City, 3-1 by Liverpool and 4-0 by Leicester. Their last win came on 4 December as they edged past Burnley 1-0, and even a victory here would not haul 19th-placed Newcastle out of the relegation zone. As our own Tony Evans writes, the club must cut through their own barriers on and off the pitch as a kinder run of fixtures approaches after tonight.

Follow all the fallout from Newcastle vs Manchester United below.

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Newcastle vs Manchester United

This is the first time Newcastle have spent Christmas Day in the relegation zone. They have won just one of their seven games under head coach Eddie Howe, losing the last three in a row.

Newcastle have conceded 79 league goals in 2021 - the joint most of any Premier League team in a calendar year, along with Ipswich Town in 1994.

The last top-flight team to concede more over the course of a year was West Bromwich Albion, who let in 87 goals in 1985.

Michael Jones27 December 2021 19:19
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Newcastle vs Manchester United: De Gea on training under Rangnick

David De Gea spoke about the change in Manchester United’s training sessions following the appointment of interim boss Ralf Rangnick. He says United have been training with pace and energy since being hit with rising Covid cases and he wants the team to show that same intensity on the pitch. De Gea said:

It’s great. It’s good to have the whole team back to train properly altogether and then of course see they are all safe. They are back, they are all training, they are fine so it’s great to be together again.

“We’ve been training hard, of course. It’s very intense, every training session, every moment with him [Rangnick] is intense,

“You have to give 100 per cent every time in training and in the games. Let’s see. It’s just the beginning, it’s been a couple of weeks, so let’s see in the future.

“The team is training with energy, with pace, and now we have to show that in big games.”

Michael Jones27 December 2021 19:13
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Newcastle vs Manchester United: Newcastle must cut through their own barriers on and off the pitch as defining period approaches

Newcastle United finish a run of difficult fixtures when they host Manchester United in the Premier League tonight. The Tyneside club are about to enter a crucial phase of the season.

The next five weeks offer a series of winnable matches for Eddie Howe’s team and the transfer window opens in five days.

It is hard to see a side that has conceded 11 goals in the past three matches against top-half clubs getting anything against United tonight. These are strange times, though.

Ralf Rangnick’s team has not played for 16 days. The German is still getting to grips with life at Old Trafford. Still, Rangnick has plenty of talent available to him and clear ideas about how he wants United to play.

Newcastle face Man United as final test before defining period of the season

Nicola Cortese the latest name linked with the sporting director role

Michael Jones27 December 2021 19:08
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Newcastle vs Manchester United: Team changes

Eddie Howe makes six changes to the Newcastle team that lost 4-0 to Manchester City in their last outing. Jamaal Lascelles in joined in defence by Javier Manquillo, Emil Krafth and Fabian Schar. Jacob Murphy, Matt Ritchie and Ciaran Clark drop out of the starting XI.

Allan Saint-Maximin returns taking the place of Miguel Almiron and in midfield, Jonjo Shelvey and Sean Longstaff start with Isaac Hayden suspended and Joe Willock absent from the matchday squad.

Just two changes for Ralf Rangnick’s Manchester United. Raphael Varane comes in to partner Harry Maguire at centre-back and Mason Greenwood replaces Jadon Sancho.

Michael Jones27 December 2021 19:05
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Newcastle vs Manchester United: Line-ups

Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Schar, Lascelles, Krafth, Manquillo, Shelvey, Fraser, S. Longstaff, Joelinton, Wilson, Saint-Maximin

Man Utd XI: De Gea, Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Telles, Fred, McTominay, Fernandes, Rashford, Greenwood, Ronaldo

Michael Jones27 December 2021 19:00
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Newcastle vs Manchester United: Head-to-head

This is the 150th top-flight meeting between the two teams. Manchester United are seeking to match their club record of five successive league wins against Newcastle.

The Magpies have won just three of the last 17 Premier League encounters, all by a 1-0 scoreline. They have lost 10 Premier League games against Manchester United after scoring the opening goal, equalling the competition record against a single opponent.

Michael Jones27 December 2021 18:54
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Newcastle vs Manchester United: Anthony Martial wants to ‘go somewhere else’, Manchester United coach Ralf Rangnick confirms

Anthony Martial has told Manchester United he wants to leave.

The France forward has become a fringe figure at Old Trafford, making just two Premier League starts this season and only four in all competitions.

“We spoke at length on Wednesday,” said interim United manager Ralf Rangnick, revealing the 26-year-old’s desire to quit Old Trafford.

Anthony Martial wants to ‘go somewhere else’, Man United coach Ralf Rangnick confirms

The 26-year-old France forward has made only two Premier League starts this season

Michael Jones27 December 2021 18:49
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Newcastle vs Manchester United: Standings and recent results

Newcastle have suffered three bruising results since their 1-0 victory over Burnley at the start of December. The have lost 4-0, 3-1, 4-0 to Leicester, Liverpool and Manchester City respectively in that time. That win over the Clarets is Newcastle only victory of the season so far and Eddie Howe will be desperately hoping for a turnaround in form. If the Magpies defeat Manchester United tonight they will leapfrog Burnley and move level on points with Watford (17th).

Man Utd meanwhile are unbeaten in four Premier League games and have seemingly stopped their poor run of form that led to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking. Still, they haven’t featured in the league for 16 days but could finish the day as high as fifth if they pick up all three points tonight. Last time out Cristiano Ronaldo netted a 75th minute penalty as the Red Devils saw off Norwich 1-0 away from home.

Michael Jones27 December 2021 18:46
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Newcastle vs Manchester United: Howe on Lewis’ injury

Newcastle will be without the services of Jamal Lewis this evening after he suffered a hamstring injury during last week’s defeat to Liverpool.

The full-back is likely to miss the rest of Newcastle’s fixtures in 2021, but manager Eddie Howe is optimistic that the defender may be fit to return as early as January. Howe said:

I don’t think it will be too long. It’s not a major injury, but I think it will be enough to keep him out of the festive period and some games into early January,

"Usually with a hamstring strain you’re looking at minimum of three to four weeks, and that’s probably where he’ll be."

Michael Jones27 December 2021 18:39
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Newcastle vs Manchester United

Manchester United had two Premier League games - against Brighton and Brentford - postponed due to a steep rise in coronavirus cases amongst the squad and staff. It got so bad that the Carrington training ground was closed for four days and players had to train in their own gardens to keep up with manager Ralf Rangnick’s proposed fitness regime.

United last played on the 11th of December and the manager says that the club are almost back to full strength. He said:

“Apart from Paul Pogba we had all the players available at training which is a massive improvement within one week to have 17 players more available.

“Everyone has looked in good shape and good health and if everything stays like it is right now and we don’t get any further cases, and I’m optimistic and positive about that, then it will be difficult for me to decide not only on the starting XI, but on the eight [outfield] players sitting on the bench.

“For me it didn’t come as such a big, big surprise, of course I would have wished that it wouldn’t have happened, but I think for everybody it’s about making the best out of it and making sure we are being protected in the future and we don’t have any further cases in the next six months.

“I know that there is no guarantee for that, but we can still make sure we do everything we possibly can within our club that it doesn’t happen again.”

Michael Jones27 December 2021 18:36

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