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Preview: Manchester United vs. Newcastle United

Sports Mole previews Newcastle United's Boxing Day trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.

Newcastle United will be hoping to avoid a third straight league defeat when they travel to Manchester United in the Premier League on Boxing Day.

Alan Pardew's side have had a disappointing week, being knocked out of the League Cup by Tottenham Hotspur before suffering a last-gasp defeat to Sunderland in the Tyne-Wear derby at the weekend.

Sunday's loss leaves them with just one win in their last five league outings, dropping them to ninth in the table.

Jak Alnwick is likely to continue in goal after overcoming a shoulder injury to make his derby debut on Sunday, while Tim Krul and Rob Elliott remain sidelined with injury.

Steven Taylor is expected to be available despite picking up a nasty facial wound during the derby, while Cheick Tiote misses out through suspension.

While not ready for this match, the squad will have been boosted by Jonas Gutierrez's return to action with the Under-21s last night, just weeks after he was given the all-clear from testicular cancer.

Meanwhile, Louis van Gaal will be hoping that his side can return to winning ways after they were held to a draw by 10-man Aston Villa at the weekend.

The draw denied the side their seventh straight win in the league, leaving them 10 points behind league leaders Chelsea, and seven adrift of local rivals Manchester City.

Angel di Maria could be included in the starting lineup for the match after making his return from injury off the bench at the weekend, while Chris Smalling may also return.

However, Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini are all ruled out, as is Daley Blind, who has just returned to training after several weeks out with a knee injury.

Man Utd have not lost at home since the opening day of the season when they were stunned by Swansea City.

Last season, Newcastle clinched a win at Old Trafford before being thrashed in the reverse fixture in April.

Manchester United:

Form in Premier League: WWWWWD
Form in all competitions: WWWWWD

Possible starting lineup: De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Evans, Rafael, Carrick, Di Maria, Young, Mata, Rooney, Van Persie

Newcastle United:

Form in Premier League: WLDWLL
Form in all competitions: LDWLLL

Possible starting lineup: Alnwick, Janmaat, Taylor, Coloccini, Dummett, Williamson, Colback, Gouffran, Sissoko, Cisse, Perez

Sports Mole says: 2-1


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Manchester United Manager Louis van Gaal gestures during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on November 8, 2014
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2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154


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