Manchester United travel to St James' Park on Wednesday evening to face Newcastle United, with pundits Harry Redknapp, Paul Merson, and a third unnamed expert all predicting a 2-2 draw. The match comes as United aim to maintain their strong form under interim manager Michael Carrick, while Newcastle look to reverse a run of five defeats in their last six league games.
United secured a 2-1 comeback victory against Crystal Palace at the weekend, helped by a red card for the opposition. Carrick has brought stability and tactical discipline since taking over, with Bruno Fernandes returning to his best and Kobbie Mainoo impressing. However, the team has been slow to start in recent matches, a concern against a Newcastle side that remains dangerous at home despite poor recent results.
Newcastle have lost five of their last six league outings, including home defeats to Everton, Brentford, and Aston Villa. Manager Eddie Howe's side are struggling for consistency, but pundits expect a competitive match given the history between the clubs. United won 1-0 at Old Trafford on Boxing Day, but Newcastle thrashed them 4-1 on their last visit to St James' Park in May.
Harry Redknapp highlighted Anthony Gordon as a key threat for Newcastle, while Paul Merson noted that United were fortunate not to concede two goals against Palace. Both pundits, along with a third, forecast an entertaining 2-2 draw, citing Newcastle's home threat and United's ability to grind out results despite not playing brilliantly.
