Enda McElhinney provides his best bets for Saturday night's Premier League showdown at St James' Park.
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One place and one point separate these sides going into the weekend’s action, with the Red Devils currently in sixth, just ahead of their hosts.
Both teams come into this off the back of midweek disappointment in the Champions League as their trips to Paris-St-Germain and Galatasaray respectively ended level.
Newcastle vs Manchester United best bets
Draw @ 13/5
Anthony Gordon first goalscorer @ 5/1
Bet Builder: Over 2.5 Goals, Over 8.5 Corners, Man Utd Over 0.5 Goals & Bruno Fernandes Last Goalscorer @ 22/1
Stalemate favoured in St James’ showdown
Manchester United are the only team in the Premier League without a draw so far this season (eight wins, five losses) but that could end on Tyneside.
Both squads are ravaged with injury problems. Eddie Howe could be missing as many as 11 possible first-teamers, while for Erik ten Hag it looks like eight on the injured list.
Those that are fit come into this off the back of midweek disappointment, some of their own making and some not.
Newcastle were seconds from a priceless away win against PSG only for a controversial VAR call to intervene and allow Kylian Mbappe score from the spot.
They must deal with that disappointment, while the Magpies were only able to name five outfield subs in midweek, four of them teenagers, as their squad is stretched.
Man Utd twice led by two goals in Istanbul but were pegged back in a helter-skelter 3-3 draw with Galatasaray.
The Red Devils couldn’t cope with their hosts’ gung-ho approach, though some poor goalkeeping from Andre Onana hardly helped.
Newcastle have looked defensively strong but Man Utd have scored in eight successive games away from Old Trafford and, if they do so again, will be well on their way to getting a share of the spoils here. With the current state of their respective squads, both managers might welcome a point.
Gordon now a key danger for home side
After his big-money switch from Everton last season, Anthony Gordon has taken some time to settle in at Newcastle.
Last season he scored four goals across 32 Premier League appearances for his two clubs. This time around, the 22-year-old is already up to five goals in a dozen outings at Newcastle.
He got that crucial winner against Arsenal and has scored in home games against Crystal Palace and Chelsea around that, making it three-in-three at St James’ Park of late.
He is deployed on the left of Newcastle’s attack and should fancy his chances against a Manchester United rearguard that is not inspiring. Everton returned a blank last Sunday but that owed a lot to the Toffees’ profligacy in front of goal.
Newcastle should make openings here and, in recent times, Gordon is as likely as anyone to be on the end of them.
Fernandes might need to rescue his side
Bruno Fernandes scored a rocket in Galatasaray in midweek and struck a post late on as his Manchester United tried in vain for a winner.
The Red Devils skipper seems as likely to get booked as he does to score at times but he remains a key threat.
They led the race and were pegged back late in Turkey but, under the lights and with a big atmosphere at St James’ Park, United might have to come from behind here to get something.
Fernandes could be the man if they are chasing a goal. Our Bet Builder takes him to score the last goal of the game, along with over 2.5 Total Goals and Over 8.5 Total Corners.
United were involved in a humdinger in midweek and this could be another firecracker on Tyneside.
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