2. UNITED v Newcastle
Newcastle: Ryan Taylor, Yohann Cabaye and Steven Taylor remain long-term absentees. Dan Gosling and Hatem Ben Arfa are doubtful. Demba Ba and Davide Santon only PL ever-presents. Demba Ba top scorer with 11 PL goals.
Manager: Alan Pardew.
Away record: P8 W0 D4 L4 F8 A14 -6 Pts4
Away form: D D D L L L
Recent PL meetings at Old Trafford: United 1-1 Newcastle (26-11-11), United 3-0 Newcastle (16-08-10), United 1-1 Newcastle (17-08-08), United 6-0 Newcastle (12-01-08)
Referee: Mike Dean. 42 yellow cards in 12 PL games (3.50 avg). 1 red card (Wilshere v United), 2 penalties (including van Persie’s missed effort v Southampton).
Notes
Away from home, Newcastle average a 76.4% pass success rate, the fifth-lowest in the division. At home, United average 88.7%, the league’s highest.
Newcastle are yet to win a match on their travels this season. Their last away PL victory came on 2nd May, a 2-0 win at Chelsea.
United haven’t seen a player sent off against Newcastle since Roy Keane saw red in 2001.
Ruud van Nistelrooy and Paul Scholes are tied on 11 career goals v Newcastle. Wayne Rooney has 9.
Demba Ba averages 4.3 shots on goal per game – the second most in the league. Robin van Persie has United’s highest, with 3.5 shot every match.
Newcastle have averaged just 1 goal per game on the road this season. At Old Trafford, United have averaged almost 3.
With 7 wins from 8 home league games, United average 2.62 points per match. On their travels, Newcastle average 0.50.
Newcastle have gained only 3 points from losing positions this season. United have recovered 21.
United haven’t lost a match against Newcastle in 40 years – a 0-2 defeat on 12th Feb, 1972.
Score prediction: United 3-1 Newcastle
