Newcastle vs. Manchester United: Preview and betting tips

Manchester United will play their first game of the weekend on Monday. It goes to the second worst team in the competition, Newcastle have won only once so far and only Norwich are worse in the table.

Newcastle have struggled since the start of the season. They have only won once so far (against Burnley) and are logically second to last in the table. They have lost their last three games and are three points behind the relegation places.

Manchester, on the other hand, have picked up under new coach Ralf Rangnick and have won their last three league games. Despite this, it remains in seventh place, two points behind fifth-placed Tottenham, and is eight points behind the top four with three games to play.

Newcastle is extremely dependent on the form of two players. Striker Callum Wilson has six league goals, while speedy dribbler Allan Saint-Maximin boasts three goals and three assists.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been a goalscorer in the away camp, making seven Premier League appearances and adding two assists. Fred and Jadon Sancho are also putting in reliable performances under the new coach.

Newcastle is the worst defending team of the whole league, conceding forty-one goals, the second worst (Norwich) got thirty-nine goals. The coaching staff has a problem mainly at the stopper positions.

Although Manchester under Rangnick has started to pick up wins, they are struggling goal-wise. In only one of the last five games he has scored more than one goal, on average he scores 1.4 times under the German coach.

Given the dysfunctional and unstable home defence, I think Manchester will win by two or more goals.