Premier League preview: Manchester United v Newcastle United
It doesn’t seem like five minutes ago Newcastle were in turmoil. A host of underachieving managers, an embarrassing owner and a total inability to defend resulted in the Magpies losing their Premier League status in May 2009.
The tears on the faces of those Newcastle fans at Villa Park are still fresh in the memory, as Damien Duff’s own goal against Aston Villa consigned the club to relegation.
But after a rehabilitating season inside the Championship, they’re back. Love them or loathe them, the most famous team in England to don the black and white stripes have returned to where they belong, but face the most daunting test in their opening match.
Over the years, the Manchester United v Newcastle fixture has produced some of the most enthralling encounters and a hatful of goals to boot.
When two teams who rely on entertaining, attacking football come head-to-head, it’s inevitable that the goals will flow, and so it’s proved between these two sides on countless occasions.
This time, though, things are a little different. No longer are Newcastle considered a threat to the top sides in the league. Staving off the threat of relegation and retaining their top-flight status is the primary aim for this season, but what a confidence boost a win at Old Trafford on Monday evening would be.
Manager Chris Hughton has provided stability – something severely lacking from St James’ Park over recent years – and possesses a squad of players who’ve become accustomed to winning matches over the past 12 months. On paper, the Red Devils have a far more talented set of individuals at their disposal, but confidence and momentum can count for an awful lot in football.
That’s not to say that Manchester United are lacking in either. Last weekend’s thoroughly convincing 3-1 victory over Chelsea in the FA Community Shield was a worrying statement of intent for the Magpies. And after finishing as runners-up behind Chelsea in the league table last season, Sir Alex Ferguson will remind his team that a good start can be an imperative foundation for a good season.
They’ll be out to right last season’s wrongs, starting with an emphatic victory over their newly-promoted opponents in front of a sell-out crowd at Old Trafford.
To help them on their way, the Red Devils will be equipped with more than enough firepower to beat Newcastle. Star striker Wayne Rooney once again endured a difficult night on international duty with England in midweek; he will be determined to get his season off to the best possible start with a goal or two. While Dimitar Berbatov has looked revitalised in pre-season, and new signing Javier Hernandez has the potential to become a true star.
With almost a full-strength squad to chose from, Man United are understandably considered strong favourites to seal maximum points. And their odds are further shortened with the news that their opponents will be missing several key players, including two of their summer signings, Sol Campbell and Dan Gosling.
Leon Best, Alan Smith, Danny Simpson and Steven Taylor will also all be sidelined, but James Perch - a £1 million signing from Nottingham Forest - could be handed his competitive debut.
Rarely do Newcastle manage to go Old Trafford and come away with a positive result. In fact, the Magpies have never beaten United at the Theatre of Dreams since the Premier League began; and have only ever recorded nine victories at the ground.
It’s now nearly nine years since the north-east outfit last beat Fergie’s side, and that barren spell isn’t likely to come to an end on Monday evening.
Prediction: Manchester United 3 Newcastle United 0
Tags: