Newcastle vs Manchester United predictions: Magpies to claim rare league double
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- Newcastle began the weekend sitting fifth in the standings
- Manchester United look set for a bottom-half finish
- Recommended bet: Newcastle to win to nil
Newcastle will be looking to further boost their hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League when they welcome Manchester United to St James' Park on Sunday.
It has been a successful few weeks for the Magpies, who ended their 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy by lifting the Carabao Cup last month, while they have also won three Premier League games on the bounce.
Those victories have put Eddie Howe's team firmly in the race to qualify for the Champions League and their hopes have been boosted further by the news that a top-five finish will be enough to achieve that goal.
Manchester United are not involved in the top-five battle, languishing as they do in the bottom half of the standings, with their focus instead being on their Europa League quarter-final tie with Lyon.
The Red Devils drew Thursday's first leg 2-2 in France, but with the return match to come at Old Trafford next midweek, this trip to Tyneside may act as little more than a distraction for Ruben Amorim and his squad.
Team news
Newcastle could be boosted by the return of winger Anthony Gordon, who is back in training following a recent hip issue, while leading scorer Alexander Isak is expected to shake off a groin problem.
Joe Willock will miss the game due to concussion protocols and he joins long-term absentees Lewis Hall (foot), Jamaal Lascelles (knee) and Sven Botman (knee) on the sidelines.
Amorim has reported no fresh injury concerns in his squad, although Toby Collyer (leg), Matthijs de Ligt (foot), Amad Diallo (ankle), Jonny Evans (back), Ayden Heaven (leg) and Lisandro Martinez (knee) all remain unavailable.
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The stats
Newcastle are going in search of a fifth straight win across all competitions, a sequence that includes their Carabao Cup final success over Liverpool.
The Magpies have won four of the last five meetings between these two sides, claiming a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford in December's reverse fixture, and they are looking to complete their first league double over the Red Devils since 1931.
All of Newcastle's last eight victories over Sunday's visitors have been to nil.
Manchester United have won just two of their last eight Premier League games, with those victories coming against Ipswich and Leicester, two sides that are languishing in the relegation zone.
The Red Devils are on course to record their lowest ever Premier League points tally and the only way they can avoid that is by winning all seven of their remaining fixtures.
Prediction
Newcastle are one of the Premier League's form teams and with four wins in a row behind them, they will be confident of getting the better of a Manchester United side whose focus may be on their European clash with Lyon.
Amorim may opt to rotate his starting XI for this trip to Tyneside and if the visitors are much-changed, Newcastle can take advantage.
Eddie Howe's team have won four of the last five meetings between these two sides and all those victories have been to nil.
Another clean sheet could be on the cards for Newcastle on Sunday, especially as the visitors have lacked goals of late, failing to score in their last two league games against Nottingham Forest and Manchester City.
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