As this is the final game at home for United, they would obviously want to leave this awful campaign with some positivity.
However, that is easier said than done as Eddie Howe and Newcastle come to town, a team that is competing with United for European positions.
A part of me feels that we aren’t going to get into Europe anyway so we could use these final two matches as training games for players who are returning from injury. With the FA Cup final in 10 days, that is another reason to try and get some minutes in the tank for some.
On the other hand, Erik ten Hag will want to play well and gather some momentum heading into that final. He will want his team to put in a couple of confidence-boosting displays before facing City at Wembley.
Anything is possible in this one.
Predicted Lineup
Erik ten Hag revealed that Lisandro Martinez has a good chance of making the matchday squad but will have to check whether he and the likes of Willy Kambwala, Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes are fit enough for the visit of Newcastle.
The manager didn’t however, mention whether Amad (who picked up a knock in the defeat to Arsenal and had to be taken off) and Mason Mount will be available for tonight.
This is why I’ve gone for the same team that started against Arsenal with the only exception being Antony coming in for Amad.
If players are back, then Bruno and Rashford will most likely start.
Our Approach
I can see United playing in a similar manner to how we played against Arsenal. We did have more of the ball and more shots but without entirely controlling the game nor creating anything clear-cut. I feel that this is all this team is capable of.
We know that this team have a preference to play defend and counter football but as we’re at home and it is the final game of the season at Old Trafford, Erik ten Hag won’t want his team to sit back and rather they be more on the front foot in front of that 76 000 capacity.
Newcastle aren’t necessarily a side that dominate possession particularly away from home and would instead want to play the more conservative game. That would suit them nicely whereas with United, we struggle to break down tight defenses.
Two things we need to improve upon from the Arsenal game and from this season is concentration and being clinical.
In our latest defeat, United switched off for the goal as Casemiro was too languid and slow in getting back in line and subsequently playing Kai Havertz onside, Jonny Evans didn’t get tight enough to stop the cross and Aaron Wan-Bissaka let Leandro Trossard run free giving him a tap-in.
Mistakes such as these have happened all campaign and especially recently when looking at the win over Sheffield Utd (Andre Onana pass), draw with Burnley (Casemiro header) and against Arsenal.
This is also something that Erik ten Hag has said we must improve.
And then it’s about putting the ball in the back of the net. We aren’t a side that creates several goal scoring opportunities but we do create some.
Due to not being a side who create many chances, we have to take the ones we do get. Again, the Arsenal game is a great example of just how wasteful we can be in the final third. Alejandro Garnacho was especially good at this last Sunday.
We also need our players to pass the ball a lot more mainly from out wide. Our wingers are far too selfish and don’t create anywhere near enough for the striker.
Rasmus Hojlund has had fewer shots at goal in the Premier League (36) than Casemiro (37). Hojlund is also the 7th-ranked United player when it comes to shots taken in the league. The most is Garnacho with 94 followed by Bruno Fernandes (92), Marcus Rashford (61) and Antony (43).
This tells you that the wider players and CAM don’t like to pass the ball often resulting in wasted opportunities and frustration for all. We need to keep it simple because I do believe we will create some openings.
United Form
Absolutely crap.
We’ve only won one of our last five and one of our last eight. That was the slightly nervy 4–2 win over Sheffield Utd two weeks ago.
We’ve also picked up four draws in those eight games whilst losing three, two of which came in our last two: the 4–0 hammering at Palace and Sunday’s 0–1 loss at home to Arsenal.
Thanks to this poor run of form, ten Hag finds himself in an unwanted position as United are 8th in the table with 54 points and two matches remaining. This means we are 3 points behind both Newcastle and Chelsea, both of whom have far superior goal differences as well.
That defeat to Arsenal was our 14th and is now the most we’ve been defeated in PL history.
Two other unwanted numbers is that we are in serious danger of finishing with both our lowest points as we currently have 54 (previous lowest 58) and finishing in our lowest-ever position as 7th was the previous worst.
I don’t think we’ve ever finished on negative goal difference before but that looks highly likely at the moment as well.
We are terrible at home too as United are 9th in the home table. 9th at Old Trafford. Unbelievable.
We have 30 points and are 15 behind LFC at the top. Six defeats at home has got to be some sort of record as well.
United have also conceded 17 goals in the league since the return after the last international break. That is 2.1 goals conceded per game with two of those matches seeing us let in 4, vs. Chelsea and Palace.
United have only scored 13 in those eight meaning we are scoring 0.6 goals per game.
Newcastle
Eddie Howe’s team sit in the luxurious spot of 6th in the table. And no, I’m not making fun of them because while I’ve been complaining about how United have been in that position all season, I would absolutely love it (😉) if we were in that spot now.
The Magpies hold that final Europa League place after 36 games. They have 57 points (3 ahead of United) with 17 wins, 6 draws and 13 losses so far, a near identical record to us.
But what isn’t identical is the goal difference. Newcastle sit on +22 while we are at a horrendous -4, a sway of 26 in Howe’s favor.
Newcastle’s recent form isn’t too bad either with three wins, one loss and one draw in their last five, with that drawing coming in their last match against Brighton.
Surprisingly though, the Geordies are 15th in the away table. Given how difficult they can be to beat, seeing them that low on the road is kind of shocking.
After their 17 games, they have just the five wins, two draws and a staggering ten losses which is very unlike Newcastle at all. This all gives them a GD of -5 and 17 points.
The Magpies have scored 30 goals on their travels which is only bettered by Chelsea, Spurs and the top three but their 35 conceded is only worsened by Chelsea, West Ham, Bournemouth, Forest, Luton and Sheffield Utd.
As for Eddie Howe’s team news, he says that both strikers Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson are still doubtful but that number 1 Nick Pope could return. Centre-back Fabian Schar is also not far away from a comeback.
Recent Meetings
The two sides have already faced off twice this season, once in the league and the other in the Carabao Cup. Both were won by the Magpies. Comfortably.
In fact, Newcastle have won the last three matches in all competitions with United’s last win coming in last season’s Carabao Cup final.
How much optimism we had back then 😢.
In the league, there have been a couple of draws with two coming before that final but in the previous four, United won all, pretty well in fact. Three 4–1 wins with a 3–1 in there as well. Something like those would be great tonight.
Prediction
I’m going to sit on the fence for this one. This has a draw written all over it but I wouldn’t actually be surprised if either side did win it.
Newcastle are better than us but as it is the final home game of the season, perhaps there would be some sort of push by United to get over the line.
1–1 is what I predict. This helps neither in their bids for European football.
Background image: Rasmus Hojlund | Image credit: Getty Images via Eurosport