Football pundit Chris Sutton has made a bold prediction for the upcoming Boxing Day Premier League fixture, forecasting that Newcastle United will secure a victory at Old Trafford against Manchester United.
Sutton's Verdict: Leadership Void and AFCON Losses Key
Sutton, speaking to BBC Sport, highlighted the significant absence of Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes as a decisive factor. He questioned the leadership within manager Ruben Amorim's squad and suggested that the potential deployment of Lisandro Martinez in a holding midfield role could be crucial.
He also pointed to players missing due to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as a further disadvantage for the home side. Despite Newcastle's poor away record – with just one win in eight league games on the road – and their recent collapse from a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Chelsea, Sutton believes they possess the better squad.
"Because of that, I am going to back Eddie Howe’s side here," Sutton stated. "There won’t be many goals, though, and they may only need to score one to win it."
Shearer's Combined XI and Score Draw Forecast
Ahead of the Friday night clash, Newcastle legend Alan Shearer named a combined XI featuring only two Manchester United players: Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbuemo. His lineup was dominated by nine Magpies, including Nick Pope, Bruno Guimaraes, and Anthony Gordon.
However, when it came to predicting the match outcome, Shearer was more cautious. "It’s a really tough one to predict. It could go either way, so I’d probably sit on the fence and say draw," the Betfair ambassador explained.
He emphasised the importance of the fixture for both clubs and the atmosphere expected from the night-time kick-off, concluding: "I think it will be a score draw, and everyone will be watching that game."
Context of the Crucial Encounter
The match is the only Premier League game scheduled for Boxing Day this year. The two teams are separated by just three points and four places in the table, with Manchester United seventh and Newcastle eleventh.
Both sides have struggled for form recently, each taking only a single point from their last two outings. United lost to Aston Villa after a thrilling 4-4 draw with Bournemouth, while Newcastle suffered a derby defeat to Sunderland before the Chelsea draw.
History offers Newcastle encouragement; they won 2-0 at Old Trafford last season and thrashed United 4-1 at St James' Park in the reverse fixture under Amorim.
