Manchester United v Newcastle United: Premier League – live

Pre-match postbag. “So can we expect Newcastle players to start high-fiving and hugging each other the first time they get a corner tonight? It’s as good as a goal against Manchester United these days, if they stick two Magpies on Onana” – Justin Kavanagh

“All the chatter about Rashford – ‘Is he in is he out, will we ship him out?’ – is simply a distraction from the real story. Manchester United are a mid-table team. Rashford in or out will not change a thing” – Mary Waltz

“The last time we won this fixture I was following on MBM due to a social engagement, which might seem like an oxymoron. I distinctly remember refreshing the page multiple times to confirm that Cabaye had indeed scored and that we were dressed like peak 1970s Brazil: white socks, blue shorts, yellow jersey. But to actually lay my own eyes on an Old Trafford victory. To really be there (via MBM). I̶ ̶w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶ ̶i̶t̶” – Chris Paraskevas

As for Eddie Howe, he might have never won at Old Trafford in the league … but he does have this on his CV. A result that will give the Toon succour, despite their distinctly average record at Old Trafford over the years.

A reminder of where the teams are going into tonight’s fixture. Newcastle can rise to fifth place with a win this evening, leapfrogging champions Manchester City in the process to insert themselves in the Champions League mix. Manchester United can’t escape the bottom half of the table, even with victory tonight: whether they finish the day in 11th, 13th or 14th spot, it’ll be their lowest position at the turn of a calendar year since 1989-90, when they languished in 15th spot. Growing pains under a new manager: Manchester United have been here before, and it didn’t pan out too badly for them back then.

It’s Ruben Amorim’s turn to speak to Sky … and Gary Neville asks him whether he’s found his new job more difficult than he thought it might be. “A little bit, yes … because of the schedule … you don’t have a lot of time to train … just prepare the next game … a lot of things you should address you don’t have the time … it’s more difficult … but we will have more time to train now … but we also know with these bad results it’s really hard to sell an idea so we will try to do the same thing but we need more time.”

Has he considered temporarily parking his grand plan? “No because for me it will be the end … you have to be really focused on your idea … if you start changing because of the results it’s the end of any coach and I know that really, really clear … so I will do my things … I am trying to adapt to win games, this I will do, because it’s really important to win games, but I will not stop to sell my idea because it’s the only one … I was hired because of that idea … and because if you, in these difficult moments, change your mind, it’s the end of any coach and I know that really well.”

More on tactics. “I am trying to make the team compact because we suffer a lot of goals … I am also focused on set pieces … we have more possession and more opportunities but one set piece changes the game … we try to use that information to win games … for the team to be more compact … set pieces … to try to use different things … we won against City in this way … we have to control games better … I try to use the characteristics of the players.”

… and finally Marcus Rashford. “We have a lot of players outside so he is in … like I said every week, I choose my players … he was there to be chosen … this time he is here.”

A business-like Eddie Howe talks to Sky Sports. “It’s been a great few weeks for us … we come here in confident form … hopefully we can continue where we left off in our last match … it’s that word confidence, really … we always believe we have a really good team … we know coming here is a really difficult game, it always is, but we’re looking forward to the test … everyone individually is playing a lot better … Manchester United have very good players and an outstanding coach who I am very sure will be successful here … if we can hit our top levels I believe we can beat anybody in the league.”

Manchester United make four changes to the starting line-up after their 2-0 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers … though all eyes are on Marcus Rashford’s return to the squad after four games on the naughty step. Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte are suspended, while Leny Yoro and Kobbie Mainoo drop to the bench. Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee step up.

Newcastle United are in If It Ain’t Broke mode. They’re unchanged following their 3-0 home win over Aston Villa.

The teams

The great Mancunian soap opera … is of course Coronation Street. It was nice to see Gail get a good send-off on Christmas Day. And her dance in the dream sequence with Richard Hillman was delightful. But there’s Marcus Rashford as well, and Manchester United have posted footage on the old Twitter of the striker, who had been left out of Ruben Amorim’s squad for United’s last four games, arriving at Old Trafford all dressed for work. So that’ll have a bearing on tonight’s teamsheets. Speaking of which …

Preamble