Eddie Howe is eager for his Newcastle United players to keep the feel-good factor alive by ending 2024 on a high away at Manchester United. (More Football News)
Newcastle have won four game👍s in a row in all comp🃏etitions, three of those in the Premier League to climb up to fifth place.
That form is in stark contrast to Monday's opponents Manchester United, who have lost th🌃ree in a row and are downꦅ in 14th after 18 matches.
In what had b🀅een an up-and-down campaign for Newcastle prior to this run, Howe now wants to see t🐷he wins keep on coming.
"We're shooting for whatever we can shoot for," he said when asked if a top-f♈our finish wa𓄧s his aim.
"We'll🤪 take small steps, we'll go game-by-game, but I'm really heartened by how the team is playing.
"It's a great thing for us that we're ending theꦦ year on a ꧙high. This game is all about momentum and it's all about confidence.
"It's all ab𒁏out the players believing how good they can be. Hopefully, we go into the New 🍌Year in a better place with the squad."
Ruben Amorim has not enjoyed much of a honeymoon period since succeeding Erik ten Hag, l🍸osing half of his 10 games in charge so far.
The Portuguese accepts he is already under pressure to turn things around, but knows that another tough game awaits at Old Tr🍰afford.
"We have to fight against everything, because our supporters are always there," he said. "But they are tired of this mo༒ment.
"We have to expect that any play from Newcastle near our box is going to make the stadium nervous and our players have to cop𝓡e with that.
"It is a very strong team, very fast, with a lot o🧜f pace and a lot of time with the same coach. We want to be competiꦓtive and try to win the game."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Manchester United - Christian Eriksen
Captain Bruno Fernandes is suspended for this game after being sent off against Wolves, so Eriksen – a second-half substitute in that most recent 🙈loss – could come into the starting line-up.
Eriksen has yet to score or assist in 10 Premier League games this season, while he has just one goal involvement against Wolves in seven previous meetings, so those are records that clearly need🙈s improving on.
Newcastle United - Anthony Gordon
Alexander Isak is very much the man of the moment for﷽ Newcastle, but Gordon has a goal involvement in each of his last four games in all competition꧟s.
The forward also sc🍌ored home and away against Man United in the Premier League last sꦯeason – no Newcastle player has ever scored in three consecutive appearances against them in the competition.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Man Un𒁃ited have lost four Premier League games since the start of December – no team has lost more, while they last tasted defeat in more league matches in a calendar month in September 1962 (five).
Not since May 2015, meanꩵwhile, have United lost three straight league matches without scoring since May 2015.
That is something Newcastle will look to take advantage of, having themselves won their past three league matches ✤by an aggregate scoreline🐷 of 11-0.
However, 💯Newcast♋le have not won their final league game in any of the last seven calendar years since a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest in the Championship.
The Magpies have also won just one of their past 39 away league games agai🐠nst Man United, with that solitary victory coming in December 2013.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Manchester United - 36.4%
Newcastle United - 38%
Draw - 25.6%
