Manchester United’s chance to qualify for European competition next season takes center stage on Wednesday, when they take on Newcastle United.
United are in eighth place and are three points behind sixth place Newcastle, who sit in the Premier League’s lone qualification spot for next season’s UEFA Europa Conference League. This also will not be the only matchup on Wednesday that’s relevant in the race for the Conference League — Chelsea are seventh and equal on points with Newcastle, but could remain in the hunt as they take on Brighton and Hove Albion.
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How to watch and odds
- Date: Wednesday, May 15 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Old Trafford — Stretford, England
- TV: USA Network | Live stream: Fubo (try for free)
- Odds: Manchester United +175; Draw +290; Newcastle United +135
Storylines
United are slumping towards the finish line of a chaotic season, with recent results only adding to their on-field woes. They have won just once in their last eight league games, and that solitary victory came against relegated side Sheffield United. It has not been a period without goals — they have scored 13 during that stretch — but the fact that they have gone without scoring in their last two games, combined with the fact that they have let in 17 goals, adds an extra layer of worry to a season full of them.
Though a loss on Wednesday does not mathematically rule them out of European competition next season, they are not the frontrunners to qualify for the Conference League and as a result, would miss out on a continental tournament for the first time in a decade.
It does not help that United head into the matchup with Newcastle depleted. Bruno Fernandes is expected to sit out this game with a knee issue that kept him out for United’s last two fixtures, while Scott McTominay and a long list of others have been injured for some time. Erik ten Hag will still have some of his usuals like Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford to count on, but they will need to actually snap United’s brief goalless spell to impress on Wednesday.
Prediction
Newcastle have three wins in their last five and have scored four-plus goals on three of those occasions, which means things might tilt in their favor again on Wednesday against a defensively unstable United. The hosts might be able to score at some point, but it might not be enough to pick up a win. Pick: Manchester United 1, Newcastle United 3
