Stern Man Utd test for Newcastle
Newcastle United expect to be sternly tested as they host Manchester United at St James' Park this evening.
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John Carver's Newcastle (9-8-10) have lost just one of their last five league games to pull a comfortable 13 points clear of the relegation zone, and they picked up their second win under Carver with a stuttering 1-0 victory over struggling Aston Villa at the weekend.
A glance at the recent head-to-head records suggest the chances of Newcastle making it back-to-back wins are slim.
The Magpies have been beaten in five of their last six against the Red Devils and were smashed 4-0 in this fixture last season.
Louis van Gaal's Manchester United (14-8-5) may not have gelled together as a unit this season, but they are picking up results and remain very much in the mix for automatic Champions League qualification.
A 2-0 win over Sunderland at the weekend saw United keep pace with their main top four rivals, but defender Chris Smalling admitted it is still vital for United to add three more points when they visit Tyneside.
“We need to make sure today we get that win because six points is crucial in these three or four days,” Smalling said.
“We need some real confidence to go into what is going to be a crucial next couple of months.”
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hopeful Francis Coquelin and Aaron Ramsey will ease his midfield selection problems for this evening's clash against Queens Park Ranger.
Key midfielder Ramsey is set for a first team recall after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Ramsey returned to training towards the end of last week and should be available for selection this evening. — Reuters