Newcastle United can take a step toward qualifying for the UEFA Champions League for the second time in three seasons on Sunday when it hosts a Manchester United side with one eye on its own ongoing European obligations.
Fifth-place Newcastle (16-9-5, 53 points) enters Sunday’s clash tied with fourth-place Chelsea on points — and with a match in hand due to their League Cup final victory over Liverpool last month.
With the Premier League officially securing a fifth berth in next year’s Champions League earlier this week based on the league’s European performances this campaign, the Magpies should fancy their chances in a race for fifth that will also include Manchester City and Aston Villa.
Newcastle has won four in a row — including three straight in the league — entering Sunday’s clash. Those league wins came despite only one goal from Swedish international Alexander Isak, whose 20 tallies are third-best in the Premier League.
But the Magpies could be without manager Eddie Howe Sunday because he has battled illness most of the week. In his stead, assistant coach Jason Tindall reiterated his team is taking nothing for granted.
“With eight games to go, there are a lot of teams fighting for the same as what we are,” Tindall said. “All we can control is our own performances and what we do. The most important thing is that we approach every game as we have done all season and give the best account of ourselves.”
Meanwhile, Manchester United (10-13-8, 38 points) enter Sunday’s clash situated between two legs of a Europa League quarterfinal against Lyon.
The Red Devils earned a 2-2 draw in the first leg in France on Thursday night. With manager Ruben Amorim’s 13th-place side squarely out of contention for European spots this year, the priority has to be on next Thursday’s return leg.
But Amorim’s squad is not as deep as Man U sides of past vintage. And players like Bruno Fernandes, who has captained 20 consecutive games in all competitions since Jan. 5, could be difficult to pull out of the starting 11.
Amorim also believes it’s important to show improved results down the stretch in league play, even if there is no tangible reward at stake.
“We have to be careful, so we will try to address all these subjects in the game against Newcastle,” Amorim said. “But we have a great responsibility when we play any game, so I will try to look at that. That is for sure. But we have to face Newcastle with a team that we can be competitive, and to win the game.”
–Field Level Media
