Manchester United and Newcastle meet in a rematch of last year's Carabao Cup final as the two injury-stricken sides clash at Old Trafford in the fourth round of this year's competition.
Both clubs are struggling hugely with injury issues, which could prompt Erik ten Hag and Eddie Howe to heavily rotate their sides in an effort to protect their most valuable remaining players.
Man United were soundly beaten by rivals Man City over the weekend, with alarm bells now sounding for many fans regarding the progress made under Ten Hag's leadership. A bounce back here against a strong opponent would be extremely valuable, while an early exit from the cup could put the Dutchman under more pressure.
Newcastle have struggled to produce consistently this season, and the momentum generated by the home wins over Man City and PSG has dulled somewhat, as they have toiled to a pair of league draws, plus a damaging Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund last week. While a result here could provide the foundation for a turnaround, sacrificing the EFL Cup to focus on other more important fronts wouldn't be the worst turn of events for the Magpies, all things considered.
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Man United vs Newcastle match facts
- Date: Wednesday, November 1, 2023
- Kickoff Time: 8:15 p.m. GMT
- Location: Old Trafford (Manchester, England)
- Official: Robert Jones
- Last meeting: Newcastle 2-0 Man United (Apr. 2, 2023 | Premier League)
Man United vs Newcastle prediction, odds
- Full-time result: Manchester United (23/20)
- Score prediction: Man United 1-0 Newcastle
While Manchester United were soundly beaten by Man City over the weekend, they have a good chance to bounce back here.
With both managers likely to bring in fringe players, United have the stronger youth and reserve ranks and could have press home the advantage there, with young stars like Hannibal Mejbrj, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo coming in to impress.
Erik ten Hag will find this match of much greater importance given the weekend's result, while Eddie Howe may be happy to risk sacrificing Newcastle's life in the Carabao Cup to prioritize their precarious Champions League and Premier League standings. At full strength, Newcastle are the better side of these two clubs at the moment, but the extenuating circumstances of this domestic cup match favor the hosts.
Man United win | Draw | Newcastle win | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 2.5 goals | MUN -1 | NEW +1 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BetOnSports (UK) | 23/20 | 51/20 | 12/5 | 7/10, 21/20 | 17/20, 93/100 | 29/10 | 7/10 |
Man United vs Newcastle: best bet
- Pick: Under 2.5 goals
- Odds: 93/100 (10bet)
These two sides have played some extremely cagey affairs of late. Through Newcastle's recent rise to Champions League contention, these two teams have contested four successive low-scoring games which all fell under the 2.5 goal total, with 2-0, 0-0, and 1-1 results in the league supplemented by a 2-0 Manchester United victory in last year's Carabao Cup final.
With Alexander Isak injured for Newcastle, and Ten Hag potentially rotating his attack to rest key players, there's a good chance this could be another closely contested defensive struggle. Both sides also have defensive selection issues, but the two managers will know the value of keeping this contest close, likely to keep their sides somewhat restrained until the final minutes.
Man United vs Newcastle smart bet
- Pick: Over 10.5 total corners
- Odds: 10/11 (10bet)
While goals might be hard to come by, there should still be a steady stream of set-piece chances for both sides.
Recent Newcastle matches have been especially flooded with corners, as they have gone over this total in each of their last three games. Man United have done the same, conceding a whopping 12 corners to Man City over the weekend.
If young players on both sides see some action, it could bring a burst of energy to both attacks, especially for United who could be boosted by the likes of Garnacho and Hannibal in the build-up – both players who can get forward at pace and look to send or receive a vertical ball.