Strength assessment of Newcastle vs MU: Home team has the advantage
Newcastle vs MU: Magpies in high spirits, Red Devils in crisis – who will prevail in the highlight confrontation at 10:30 p.m. on April 13 at St James' Park?
Newcastle: Short squad but cohesive play
Newcastle will be without young defender Lewis Hall due to a foot injury, while key centre-backs Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles are both long-term absentees. Midfielder Joe Willock is still recovering from concussion. However, manager Eddie Howe has shown his ability to rotate his squad effectively in recent weeks.
The attacking duo of Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes are in top form, while Alexander Isak, although not fully recovered, is still capable of leading the attack. Mobility and cohesion between the lines help the Magpies maintain their collective strength, even exploding against strong opponents like Liverpool or Leicester.
More importantly, Newcastle's fighting spirit and home-field prowess are their strongest weapons at the moment. They will enter the match with great confidence, especially knowing that another win will help them repeat a feat the club has not achieved since 1931.
Man United: Prolonged crisis, fragile confidence
On the other side, MU is falling into a spiral of instability. The Red Devils' injury list is getting longer and longer, from Lisandro Martinez, Jonny Evans, Amad Diallo to Ayden Heaven, Toby Collyer and most likely number one goalkeeper Onana.
With a tight schedule and Europa League being the top priority, coach Ruben Amorim is forced to rotate his squad. Many players who have not played much such as Zirkzee, Altay Bayindir or Mason Mount can be put on the field from the start, but the lack of coordination between the lines makes the performance become a big question mark.
Even with experienced names like Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot in the squad, MU has yet to win two consecutive matches in the Premier League this season - an alarming statistic for a team with a rich tradition.
The stability in tactical operation, the excellent performance, plus the home field advantage help Newcastle to be rated higher in this match. Meanwhile, Man United is not only inferior in spirit but is also struggling with a crisis of force and confidence.
If nothing unexpected happens, this could be the match that marks another step back for the Red Devils, and at the same time opens the door to Europe for the Magpies.
Win rate: Newcastle 60% – Draw 25% – MU 15%.
