EFL Cup: Can the Magpies Steal One at Old Trafford?

Manchester United vs Newcastle United

After defeating Manchester City in the third round of the EFL Cup, Newcastle visit Old Trafford to face a familiar foe in Manchester United for the Round of 16.

Both teams are going through some adversities coming into this match, as the Red Devils reassess themselves after a humbling loss against their rivals Manchester City while the Magpies try to cope with the suspension of their expensive summer signing Sandro Tonali.

Ten Hag will try to prove skeptics wrong and show that United is undoubtedly still one of the top clubs in the Premier League, and Eddie Howe’s efforts to keep the ship afloat without their star midfielder will be put to the test at Old Trafford for what will be a competitive EFL Cup bout.

Talking Points

Ten Hag keeps an optimistic view after a disappointing Manchester derby

United are coming into the derby after a win against Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League Group stage with a score line of 1-0. Before that, they bagged back-to-back wins in the Premier League against Brentford and Sheffield United, respectively.

With high spirits and a battle-tested squad, the Red Devils were poised to give the Sky Blues a good fight during their Manchester Derby at Old Trafford, or so we thought.

Erling Haaland and the rest of the Sky Blues thrashed their Manchester rivals, dominating every aspect of the match and settling for a 0-3 United defeat. Haaland had his footprints all over this match. He was the main catalyst for his club’s victory, as he scored a goal in each half before setting up Phil Foden for a goal in the last 10 minutes of the bout.

Even though a 0-3 score line suggests a proper thrashing had occurred, United’s Erik ten Hag considered the derby to be a close and competitive game from both teams. He said after the match “When you see the first half it is toe-to-toe and just the penalty changes the game, but even then we could have returned in the game with the shot of Scott McTominay just before half-time. For chances it was very toe-to-toe and also in the previous games against them in the FA Cup final and January it was very close. So the probability that we could win was there in all the games.”

Despite the crushing loss, Ten Hag still believes that his team is on the right trajectory to turn their mediocre season around. “The start was difficult but we are on the way up. I am sure when we have some injured players coming back then our side will be stronger. We have to be patient.” Ten Hag said.

The fact that the manager is still upbeat about the club’s progress throughout the season is encouraging for the Red Devils; after all, they have won three of their last five Premier League games.

Newcastle hope to get Kalvin Phillips to replace Tonali

The Magpies understand that they have multiple areas in their squad they have to improve on, but when their most expensive summer signing, Sandro Tonali, is now suspended, they have to shift their focus to bringing in a replacement.

Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips is expected to fill the void left by Tonali, and the possibility that Phillips could be available on loan makes him very appealing to Eddie Howe and the rest of Newcastle United.

Newcastle, however, won’t find it that easy. Phillips cost Manchester City £42 million when he was acquired in the summer of 2022, but his lackluster production under Pep Guardiola limited his playing time to less than 800 minutes before burying him in the system.

Now, with numerous suitors for the former Leeds United star, the Sky Blues opted to make a cheeky business decision to put a £50 million price tag on Phillips. But even with the £8 million Manchester City profit, the Magpies are still keen on signing the 27-year-old Leeds native.

The Magpies are having a solid 2023–24 season, having stumped PSG in the Champions League and produced one of the most shocking EFL Cup 2023 results when they beat powerhouse Manchester City in the third round of the tournament. They have won their last five games in the English top-flight and are currently sixth in the Premier League standings.

They are set to visit a shaky Manchester United squad that finished ahead of them in last year’s league standings. Even though they will come into this match without the services of Kalvin Phillips, the Magpies will still be a problem to deal with.

History

These two clubs are no strangers to each other. Both of them have an extensive and colorful history, having participated in the Premier League for some time.

They have met 55 times before, where Manchester United winning most of them. The Red Devils have won 34 times, while Newcastle United won eight times.

The Magpies have never had much luck when they visit Old Trafford, having lost all but one time that United have played them there.

United and Newcastle saw each other twice in the Carabao Cup before, and United won both times.

Betting Tip

To be expected, there is no clear favourite to come out victorious in this EFL bout. The EFL Cup 2023 betting odds fairly priced this match with Manchester United edging out the Magpies at 2.07. While the visiting Newcastle United will surely give a good fight, in my opinion, SBOTOP hit the nail on the head by pricing the away team a reasonable 3.10 to win.

Another good line to keep an eye on is O/U 2.50 priced at 1.86. This will surely be a competitive match, and two sides will be neck and neck all throughout the game. If both defences bring their best on the pitch, expect that there won’t be a lot of goals to be scored by these rivals. With a price of 1.86, the line offers enough excitement while also being conservative enough for bettors to feel comfortable betting on it.

 

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