Match preview early tomorrow morning, away to Geordies.
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: St James' Park Date: Wednesday, 4 March
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/31617021
TEAM NEWS
Newcastle's Massadio Haidara is almost certain to miss out with a knee injury, with Ryan Taylor set to deputise.
Remy Cabella remains injured, while Jack Colback completes a two-game ban.
Manchester United defenders Phil Jones and Luke Shaw return after missing the win against Sunderland through illness and injury respectively. Manager Louis van Gaal says Michael Carrick lacks sufficient match fitness to start following his recovery from a calf injury suffered in January.
MATCH PREVIEW
With Newcastle's 1-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday all but sealing their Premier League status for another year, they can give this a real go and treat it like a cup tie.
Now read that again and think about it - because deeper analysis of that sentence might reveal the frustrations of many a Newcastle supporter. Alan Shearer's one of them, and would dearly love for cup success that he feels isn't as important to the club's rulers as it should be.
Fans of all teams that don't challenge for the title or a top-four place - and a lot who follow those that do - would surely empathise. "We've finished 11th! Well whoop-de-doo."
There were 51,573 fans at St James' Park at the weekend and there are likely to be even more in attendance for this one, a match that not so long ago would have been the blockbuster game of the week.
These days there won't be the same level of interest that this fixture produced in the 1990s, but it could still be a very decent watch.
Lawro's prediction
"Newcastle interim manager John Carver came up with a very good line at the weekend when he said he is not a supply teacher, meaning he is thinking about the job long-term. But even the Magpies' win over Aston Villa did not make me think he is going to keep it beyond the end of the season."
Predictions: Lawro v Circa Waves singer Kieran Shudall
I wouldn't expect many Newcastle changes from the weekend - a lengthy list of absentees means John Carver can't make them anyway - and that means a side set-up to attack with width.
Manchester United will attack too, and hopefully from the start with more pace and purpose to their play than they've shown in too many games this season - in first halves especially. They've only led at half-time in two of their last nine Premier League games.
For all the apparent malaise in performances though, Louis van Gaal's team are right in the thick of the scrap for Champions League qualification (and now only five points behind Manchester City) and in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
They've lost only two of their last 21 matches. "Lucky Louis" or not - his numbers add up.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Manchester United have won their last two games away to Newcastle, scoring a combined seven goals without reply. They have suffered just one defeat in their last 11 trips to St James' Park (W8, D2).
Newcastle United
Victory would give the Magpies back-to-back wins for the first time since November.
Papiss Cisse has averaged a Premier League goal every 84 minutes this season - the best record in the top flight among players with at least four goals.
Newcastle have scored a league-high 69% of their goals in the second half this season.
Manchester United
United have won just three away league games this term - the joint-lowest tally in the top half of the table.
They have lost only two of their last 17 Premier League matches (W11, D4).
Wayne Rooney has scored 12 Premier League goals against Newcastle - his joint-highest career total against a particular opponent, along with Aston Villa. Juan Mata has netted three league goals in his last three appearances at St James' Park.
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: St James' Park Date: Wednesday, 4 March
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/31617021
TEAM NEWS
Newcastle's Massadio Haidara is almost certain to miss out with a knee injury, with Ryan Taylor set to deputise.
Remy Cabella remains injured, while Jack Colback completes a two-game ban.
Manchester United defenders Phil Jones and Luke Shaw return after missing the win against Sunderland through illness and injury respectively. Manager Louis van Gaal says Michael Carrick lacks sufficient match fitness to start following his recovery from a calf injury suffered in January.
MATCH PREVIEW
With Newcastle's 1-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday all but sealing their Premier League status for another year, they can give this a real go and treat it like a cup tie.
Now read that again and think about it - because deeper analysis of that sentence might reveal the frustrations of many a Newcastle supporter. Alan Shearer's one of them, and would dearly love for cup success that he feels isn't as important to the club's rulers as it should be.
Fans of all teams that don't challenge for the title or a top-four place - and a lot who follow those that do - would surely empathise. "We've finished 11th! Well whoop-de-doo."
There were 51,573 fans at St James' Park at the weekend and there are likely to be even more in attendance for this one, a match that not so long ago would have been the blockbuster game of the week.
These days there won't be the same level of interest that this fixture produced in the 1990s, but it could still be a very decent watch.
Lawro's prediction
"Newcastle interim manager John Carver came up with a very good line at the weekend when he said he is not a supply teacher, meaning he is thinking about the job long-term. But even the Magpies' win over Aston Villa did not make me think he is going to keep it beyond the end of the season."
Predictions: Lawro v Circa Waves singer Kieran Shudall
I wouldn't expect many Newcastle changes from the weekend - a lengthy list of absentees means John Carver can't make them anyway - and that means a side set-up to attack with width.
Manchester United will attack too, and hopefully from the start with more pace and purpose to their play than they've shown in too many games this season - in first halves especially. They've only led at half-time in two of their last nine Premier League games.
For all the apparent malaise in performances though, Louis van Gaal's team are right in the thick of the scrap for Champions League qualification (and now only five points behind Manchester City) and in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
They've lost only two of their last 21 matches. "Lucky Louis" or not - his numbers add up.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Manchester United have won their last two games away to Newcastle, scoring a combined seven goals without reply. They have suffered just one defeat in their last 11 trips to St James' Park (W8, D2).
Newcastle United
Victory would give the Magpies back-to-back wins for the first time since November.
Papiss Cisse has averaged a Premier League goal every 84 minutes this season - the best record in the top flight among players with at least four goals.
Newcastle have scored a league-high 69% of their goals in the second half this season.
Manchester United
United have won just three away league games this term - the joint-lowest tally in the top half of the table.
They have lost only two of their last 17 Premier League matches (W11, D4).
Wayne Rooney has scored 12 Premier League goals against Newcastle - his joint-highest career total against a particular opponent, along with Aston Villa. Juan Mata has netted three league goals in his last three appearances at St James' Park.
Sanchez for the winner.
