It’s the return of the EFL Cup Round of 16 and with some big Premier League head-to-heads on the table, as West Ham take on Arsenal and Bournemouth take on Liverpool, it’s the Manchester United vs Newcastle game that has caught our attention the most, as the title holders, United, play the team that they pipped 2-0 in the previous final. But will tonight’s meeting between these two football behemoths see United take the spoils or will the Magpies be the better team on the night?
United have struggled this season, with losses against Arsenal, Tottenham and City showing their inability to handle bigger teams, so Newcastle will almost certainly prove a challenge. Meanwhile, Newcastle’s 8-0 thrashing of Sheffield United, 4-1 against PSG and then 4-0 just 10 days ago against Palace, prove that they have the firepower to make teams worry. So what do the bookies say about tonight’s match? According to BetVictor, at the time of writing, the Manchester United vs Newcastle odds have it as a close game, but show United as the leaders so far. A £10 bet on the Red Devils would see a £16.50 return, with odds at 13/20*, while the same £10 wager on the Magpies would payout £21.00, with longer odds at 11/10*. Perhaps the only thing to insinuate this changing is that, when looking at the anytime goalscorer bet, Newcastle’s Callum Wilson leads the pack at 13/8*, followed by Martial and Holjund at 15/8*, then Rashford and Garnacho at 21/10* in 4th and 5th place.
So what about the teams for tonight? United have a defensive crisis still with Shaw, Martinez, Wan-Bissaka and Malacia all unavailable due to injuries, but are likely to be able to call on Casemiro again as he seems to have recovered from his recent knock. This hopefully will be a sigh of relief to under-fire manager Erik ten Hag, who appears to have his job hanging be a thread after the weekend defeat to rivals City. Newcastle, however, have the bigger problems as they will be without Botman, Isak, Murphy and Barnes, limiting their attacking options heavily. In addition, the 10-month ban for Tonali who they only just purchased for €70 million, is sure to only add problems to boss Eddie Howe’s selection tonight. Tonight’s game may be different to the one played out earlier in the year, but with both teams eager to qualify and both managers determined to see their team over the finish line, this should be a good game to watch.
Be sure to keep an eye on the latest updates to the United vs Newcastle odds here. BetVictor Prediction: With so many injuries and both teams eager to produce a win, the game could be a scrappy one. Despite a terrible run of performances for United, Erik ten Hag will know that this game could be a decisive one when it comes to his career, so think United may just edge this one at the Theatre of Dreams tonight.
*All odds are correct at time of writing and are subject to change
