Manchester United vs Newcastle - Preview

   

TEAM NEWS

Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini completes a ban while Phil Jones remains absent with thrombosis.

Bastian Schweinsteiger could make his first start for the Red Devils but Marcos Rojo is still not match fit.

Newcastle could give a debut to new winger Florian Thauvin but defender Daryl Janmaat is banned after being sent off at Swansea last weekend.

Midfielder Moussa Sissoko was substituted in that game with a groin injury but he could still play.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Steve Bower: "The midweek European win will have put an extra spring in the Manchester United step because, despite two victories, it has been an underwhelming start to their league season.

"Their challenge now is to build on it against Newcastle and try to find some momentum.

"Newcastle will have to click quickly if they are to make it a happy return to Old Trafford for Steve McClaren.

"His task on Tyneside will take time, and one area that will need drastic improvement is their awful away record. He'll need his team to be disciplined and organised to try to change recent fortunes in Manchester."

Twitter: @SteveBowercomm

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal on recent criticism of executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward over transfer dealings: "I have the idea you want to separate Ed Woodward with me. Never. Never.

"Every day I am updated by him and I trust him. I don't think they (the critics) have to doubt Ed Woodward because he has proven already for many, many years he is the right person.

"When you ask me, 'Is Pedro fitting the profile?', I cannot lie, I said 'Yes'. But I do not say that I'm interested in the player. That is the difference. I have said before what we are doing is guiding a process and in that process we make decisions."

Newcastle boss Steve McClaren on the club's transfer dealings: "I'm very pleased with what we have got, very pleased. I think that's it for now - we are not expecting, we are not chasing anything. We are not trying to make things happen.

"There comes a point where we just have to sit down and stop and say, 'You know what, this is what we have, and now we have to work and develop them, and try to make them into a team that is hard to beat and no one wants to play against'."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Both these teams are a work in progress but the difference is that, defensively, Newcastle do not look convincing at the moment. Lawro's full predictions v comedian Jack Whitehall

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• The Red Devils have won their last three meetings with the Magpies, scoring eight goals and conceding just one.
• Newcastle's only Premier League victory at Old Trafford was by a 1-0 scoreline in December 2013 (D7, L13).
• Newcastle have lost 25 Premier League games against Manchester United, more than they have against any other side.

Manchester United

• United are looking for a third consecutive league win - they are one of four Premier League teams with maximum points after the first two games.
• They have kept clean sheets in their opening two games for the first time since 2005-06 - and have not conceded a goal in the four Premier League games that David De Gea has missed since the start of 2013-14.
• Louis van Gaal's side have scored more than once in just one of their last eight league matches.
• They have won 15 of their last 19 Premier League games at Old Trafford.

Newcastle

• Newcastle have lost seven consecutive Premier League away games. They haven't lost eight league fixtures in a row since a run of nine defeats in October 1977.
• The Magpies have lost 10 of their last 13 league games (W1, D2).
• Newcastle have been shown a league-high eight red cards since the start of last season.
• Head coach Steve McClaren spent two-and-a-half years as assistant manager to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United from 1999 to 2001, winning three Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup - when they beat Newcastle in the final.

Preview: Manchester United vs. Newcastle United

Manchester United will be hoping to maintain their 100% start to the 2015-16 Premier League season when they host Newcastle United this weekend.

Louis van Gaal's team welcome to Old Trafford a Magpies side that are still looking for their first league win under new manager Steve McClaren.

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Manchester United

© Getty Images

Manchester United followed up their 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the first match of the season with a win by the same scoreline over Aston Villa last weekend, leaving them with six points from a possible six so far.

It has been a busy week for the squad, as they returned to Champions League action after missing out on a place in Europe's top club competition last season, securing a 3-1 win over Club Brugge in their two-legged playoff tie, withMemphis Depay netting his first two goals for the team.

Scoring three goals will have been a welcome sight for United fans, as the side created few chances on target in their opening couple of matches in the league, relying on an own goal from Kyle Walker in their first outing, before Adnan Janzaj netted his first league goal in over a year against Villa.

Despite leaving out regular first-choice goalkeeper David de Gea in the first few weeks of the campaign while he continues to be linked with Real Madrid, Sergio Romero has kept clean sheets in both of his league appearances, leaving the team as one of three sides yet to concede in the top flight.

United continue to feature heavily in transfer speculation, with Sadio Mane of Southampton being linked with a move to Old Trafford after the club failed to agree a deal with Barcelona's Pedro, who has sincejoined Chelsea, while the De Gea saga remains unresolved.

Van Gaal will be familiar with McClaren's management style, having faced the former England manager's FC Twente side while in charge of AZ Alkmaar in the Eredivisie during the 2008-09 season.

Recent form: LWDDWW
Recent form (all competitions): WWLWWW

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Newcastle United

© Getty Images

The Magpies are still waiting for their first Premier League win this season, following up their draw with Southamptonon the opening weekend of the campaign with a defeat to Swansea City last time out.

While McClaren is still getting to know his new squad, he will need to start getting performances from the side soon as the fixtures are coming thick and fast, with a League Cup match against Northampton Town falling just three days after the trip to Old Trafford.

The club made the managerial change over the summer after John Carver narrowly kept them in the top flight at the end of the 2014-15 season, needing a victory on the final day to secure their status for this campaign.

The team will have been boosted by the arrival of Florian Thauvin from Marseille this week. The club finally announced that they had completed a deal for the winger on Wednesday, having been repeatedly linked with the Frenchman for several weeks.

As part of that deal, Remy Cabella, who failed to secure a regular place in the first team during his debut campaign with the Magpies, heads in the opposite direction on a season-long loan.

Newcastle are yet to keep a clean sheet in the league, letting in two goals in both of their matches so far. However, summer signing Georginio Wijnaldum did open his account for the club in the first fixture of the term.

Recent form: LDLWDL
Recent form (all competitions): LDLLDL

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Team News

© Getty Images

Both teams have a player suspended for this match asMarouane Fellaini serves the final game in a three-match ban that carried over from last season, while Newcastle are without Daryl Janmaat, who was sent off in last week's defeat to Swansea.

United have a couple of fitness concerns as Phil Joneshas missed the start of the season with illness, which is likely to keep him out of action until the end of August, while Michael Carrick limped off during the match against Brugge earlier this week.

De Gea has been left out so far amid concerns that the goalkeeper may be distracted by transfer speculation. With Romero keeping clean sheets in his first two matches, and the Spanish stopper still being linked with Real Madrid, the Argentine looks set to continue between the posts.

Newcastle could hand a debut to new signing Thauvin, but assistant manager Paul Simpson has admitted that the club is not expecting him to settle straight away as he adapts to life in the Premier League.

Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Romero, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Shaw, Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin, Mata, Januzaj, Depay, Rooney

Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Krul, Williamson, Mbemba, Coloccini, Haidara, Anita, Colback, Taylor, Wijnaldum, Thauvin, Cisse

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Head To Head

Manchester United completed the double over Newcastle last season, following up a 3-1 win at Old Trafford with a 1-0 victory at St James's Park in their most recent meeting back in March.

Newcastle have won just one of their last seven meetings against the 20-time league champions, claiming a narrow 1-0 victory at Old Trafford in 2013, and just two in their last 27; a run which stretches back to 2001.

United have won more than half of the 161 previous meetings between these two sides, picking up 83 wins, while Newcastle have just 41 wins to date.