Premier League news: Newcastle Utd vs Manchester Utd – Five key battles and score prediction
Champions League–chasing Newcastle United will look to continue their good form on Sunday when they take on an underperforming Manchester United side at St James’ Park.
The Magpies come into the match with four consecutive wins in the bag, including a historic Carabao Cup final triumph over Liverpool, and sit four points off third place.
In contrast, the Red Devils have only won two of their last seven league matches and find themselves floundering in the bottom half of the standings.
Newcastle have also come out on top in four of five meetings between the two sides since tasting defeat against Erik ten Hag’s United team in the 2023 Carabao Cup final.
Sports News Blitz writer Joseph Hannen takes a look at the key battles to anticipate on the pitch, assesses the managerial head-to-head record, and offers a score prediction.
Sandro Tonali vs Bruno Fernandes
Newcastle’s midfield maestro Tonali has the hardest task this weekend: attempting to keep United's best player by some distance quiet.
The Italian has won 66.7% of his tackles, made 137 recoveries, and managed 26 interceptions this season, the latter figure only bettered by Fabian Schar in the squad.
Tonali rifled in Newcastle's winner against Brentford last week with a ‘shot’ near the corner flag in a game that saw the Italian accrue a 0.05 xG.
His job on Sunday will be to limit Fernandes, who was Man of the Match and the only bright spark in last week's dull Manchester derby.
United’s star man has 16 goals and 15 assists in all competitions so far this season and leads his team for Premier League goals with eight.
Fernandes has also had the most touches and most passes amongst United players, and he trails only Amad Diallo for goal-creation actions with 12.
The 30-year-old has further won 150 duels, made 179 recoveries, and pulled off 42 tackles.
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Alexander Isak vs Harry Maguire
Isak’s goal against Brentford saw him become the first Newcastle player in history to score 20+ league goals in back-to-back Premier League campaigns.
The Swedish international now has 59 goals in 102 appearances in black and white.
This term, he has had 150 touches in opposition boxes, taken 75 shots, managed 39 successful take-ons, created 37 chances, and laid on five assists.
In the reverse fixture between these two teams, Isak opened the scoring within four minutes in a game that Newcastle won 2-0.
Responsible for dealing with Isak on Sunday will be Maguire, the England international having recently returned from injury to take his place at the heart of Amorim’s back-five system.
In an injury-hit campaign, the towering centre-half has won 65.4% of his duels and 69.95% of his aerial duels while also accumulating 36 touches in opposition boxes and grabbing a squad-high 36 interceptions.
His physicality will be key to stopping Isak, whose aerial ability is one of his key weaknesses, as evidenced by a 33.8% aerial-duel winning rate.
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Kieran Trippier vs Alejandro Garnacho
Tripper has shown flashes of his 2022-23 form – when he was Newcastle’s Player of the Year – in 2025.
The veteran full-back has been key to his team’s good run of form, with his experience and composure directly aiding two clean sheets in the last three league matches.
Only Lewis Hall can better Trippier’s 1.65 tackles won per 90 amongst Newcastle defenders, with the latter also winning 60% of his aerial duels and completing 12 successful crosses.
Looking to get the better of him will be Garnacho, who has had an inconsistent season so far, with a middling 17 goal involvements in 47 appearances obscuring his paltry league return of one assist and four goals from 70 shots.
A cross accuracy of 14.3% and a dribble success rate of 31.3% further shows that the Argentine must improve his numbers quickly if he is to cause trouble for Newcastle's solid backline.
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Harvey Barnes vs Diogo Dalot
Barnes has made the most of Anthony Gordon’s suspension by providing strong performances on the wing and even notching a goal against former club Leicester City in midweek.
The winger has started six league games but already boasts six league goals and sits third in the club’s scoring charts behind Isak and Jacob Murphy.
He also has a 44.4% dribble success rate and offers 6.85 touches in the opposition’s box per 90.
Dalot is set to stand in the winger’s way at St James’ Park.
The versatile defender has provided rare consistency for United in a difficult season, racking up 47 appearances, 160 recoveries, 24 chances, and two assists.
Amongst Amorim’s defenders, the Portuguese has the most shot-creating actions with 72, most blocks with 35, and most crosses with 62.
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Eddie Howe vs Ruben Amorim
Howe and Amorim will face off for only the second time, Howe having dismantled his opposite number’s side at Old Trafford back in December.
Since Amorim’s arrival, United have consistently played in a fixed 3-4-2-1 shape, although the approach has not improved results as United sit 13th in the league.
Howe’s side moreover hold a solid home record, with eight wins in 14, whereas Amorim’s Red Devils can only count four way wins this season.
Newcastle are likely to be unchanged from the team that has won four on the bounce, including Valentino Livramento impressing at left-back in Gordon’s absence, but Amorim could look to prioritise their Europa League quarter-final first leg with Lyon on Thursday night as the competition is United’s only chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season.
With only five teams having scored less than United’s 37 in the league, though, the ball is definitely in Newcastle’s court come Sunday.
Score prediction: Newcastle United 2-0 Manchester United
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