Newcastle Face Critical Boxing Day Clash Against Manchester United Amidst Mixed Form
Newcastle United have struggled to maintain leads this Premier League season, dropping 13 points from winning positions and failing to keep a clean sheet in their last 10 games across all competitions. Currently 11th in the Premier League and six points adrift of the top four, the Magpies face a challenging schedule including a Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester City and a fair chance to advance to the Champions League knockout stages.
On Boxing Day, Newcastle travel to Manchester United seeking only their second away league victory of the campaign. The squad will miss key player Alexander Isak, with Nick Woltemade stepping in as centre-forward. While Woltemade is technically gifted, he lacks Isak’s counterattacking pace and pressing prowess.
New signings Anthony Elanga and Jacob Ramsey, who together cost over £90 million, have found it difficult to adapt to manager Eddie Howe’s system. Elanga is not the first-choice right winger, and Anthony Gordon's inconsistent form on the left wing has compounded the challenges. Additionally, Tonali's recent dip in form and Joelinton’s injury setbacks have hampered attacking options.
Howe’s preferred 4-3-3 formation has shown inconsistency in effectiveness. A potential switch to a back three is complicated by injuries to Dan Burn, Tino Livramento, and Kieran Trippier. The busy fixture schedule has caused fatigue and reduced training time; recent results include a 2-2 draw with Chelsea after leading 2-0 and a 1-0 loss to Sunderland. Their Champions League opponents Bayer Leverkusen have also experienced jet lag effects.
A positive development is the return to fitness of Yoane Wissa, which strengthens Howe’s options as Newcastle navigates a packed calendar and contemplates prioritization across four competitions. Upcoming fixtures include a home FA Cup third-round tie against Bournemouth and a possible Champions League playoff in February.
Despite the setbacks, Eddie Howe remains optimistic, emphasizing the importance of prioritization and improvement as the season progresses.
