Newcastle United will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing Manchester United this Saturday in the Premier League. The Magpies host the Red Devils at St. James Park in Saturday’s late kick-off and they will be confident of getting a point or even three against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, who have struggled for form this season.
Steve Bruce’s men beat the Red Devils when the two sides last squared off at St. James’ Park, thanks to a goal from Matty Longstaff. This should be a close affair between two teams that have had contrasting starts to their season.
Let’s take a look at the 3 key battles in the game between Newcastle United and Manchester United:
Newcastle United vs Manchester United: 3 Key Battles To Watch Out For
#3 Callum Wilson vs Harry Maguire
All eyes will be on Harry Maguire as the central defender had another forgettable match, this time for England. Maguire was sent off in England’s loss to Denmark, piling more misery on the £80 million man.
The Englishman will face off against the in-form Newcastle forward Callum Wilson, who has scored four times in the Premier League this season.
Wilson is a hard-working and quick player, who is deadly in the box. He will give Maguire and co. a good test on Saturday.
#2 Bruno Fernandes vs Isaac Hayden
The red card to Anthony Martial in the Spurs game means that he will miss three games, and severely affect United’s attack. The onus now will be on Marcus Rashford to deliver the goods up front, and the man behind him, Bruno Fernandes, will be a vital player for the Red Devils.
Bruno Fernandes will be a key player for Manchester United come Saturday
The Portuguese attacking midfielder will have to provide the service to Rashford and Mason Greenwood, and try to get in and around the box to test the Newcastle goalkeeper.
Isaac Hayden will maybe be tasked with the duty of shadowing Fernandes and stopping him from receiving the ball. Hayden is a tenacious midfielder, and if he neutralises Fernandes, the Manchester United could struggle.
#1 Allan Saint-Maximin vs Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Newcastle United will most likely play on the counter and drive at Manchester United’s vulnerable defence, and one man who is perfect for this tactic is winger Allan Saint-Maximin. The Frenchman is, perhaps, the Magpies’ biggest asset in attack.
He will be up against Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has been poor in the two Premier League games he has played so far.
The English full-back could be exposed if he does not stick close to Saint-Maximin and stop him from running at the heart of the Red Devils’ defence.