Manchester United vs Newcastle United
Premier League Matchday 18
Date: Friday, 26 December 2025 (Boxing Day)
Time: 8:00 PM GMT (3:00 PM ET)
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester

This is the only Premier League fixture on Boxing Day this year, due to the date falling on a Friday and broadcast scheduling commitments—most other games in this round are on Saturday 27 December.

Current Form and Context
Manchester United (7th place) have been inconsistent under Ruben Amorim, winning just two of their last eight league games. They come off a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa and a chaotic 4-4 draw with Bournemouth.
Newcastle United (11th place, three points behind United) also lack consistency, recently blowing a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Chelsea. They’ve struggled away, with only one road win this season.

Recent head-to-heads favor Newcastle, who have won five of the last six meetings, including a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford last season.

Manchester United miss key players: captain Bruno Fernandes (hamstring), Kobbie Mainoo (calf), and others like Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt (injuries), plus some on international duty (e.g., Amad, Mazraoui).
Newcastle have a long injury list in defense: Sven Botman, Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier, Tino Livramento, Emil Krafth, and more sidelined. Nick Pope is doubtful.

Predicted lineups (subject to change):
Man Utd (3-4-2-1): Lammens; Yoro, Heaven, Shaw; Dalot, Ugarte, Martinez, Dorgu; Cunha, Mount; Šeško.
Newcastle (4-3-3): Ramsdale; Miley, Thiaw, Schär, Hall; Guimarães, Tonali, Ramsey; Murphy, Woltemade, Gordon.

Many previews expect a close, possibly high-scoring game (both teams to score is a popular tip) or a draw, given injuries and form. Some lean toward Newcastle due to their recent dominance in this fixture.
In the UK, it’s live on Sky Sports Main Event/Premier League. Internationally, check local providers (e.g., NBC in the US).

This should be a competitive festive clash with both sides desperate for points to climb the table