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Man Utd v Newcastle team news: Martinez starts

26 December 2025 781 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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The festive fixture bonanza begins tonight at Old Trafford as Manchester United host Newcastle United.

The 20:00 GMT kick-off not only gets Gameweek 18 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) underway but also begins a run of 40 Premier League matches in 14 days.

TEAM NEWS

How will United get on without Bruno Fernandes? This is the first time he’s been absent from a league squad in almost exactly a year, with his last missed match ironically being Newcastle at home in December 2024. The Red Devils lost 2-0.

He’s injured and makes way from the line-up tonight but Casemiro returns from a one-match suspension to take his place.

Lisandro Martinez also comes in for his first United start in over 10 months. He replaces Leny Yoro in the only other alteration Ruben Amorim has made to the side beaten at Aston Villa.

Newcastle, meanwhile, are unchanged from the 2-2 draw with Chelsea last Saturday.

There’s no Anthony Elanga, who reportedly has an ankle injury.

Nick Pope does make his return after a month out with a groin issue but is only among the substitutes.

£4.4m FPL midfielder Lewis Miley continues at right-back.

LINE-UPS

Manchester United XI: Lammens, Heaven, Martinez, Shaw, Dalot, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu, Mount, Cunha, Sesko.

Subs: Bayindir, Zirkzee, Malacia, Yoro, Fredricson, J Fletcher, T Fletcher, Lacey, Mantato.

Newcastle United XI: Ramsdale, Miley, Thiaw, Schar, Hall, Bruno Guimaraes, Tonali, Ramsey, Jacob Murphy, Woltemade, Gordon.

Subs: Pope, Joelinton, Wissa, Barnes, Willock, A Murphy, Shahar, Neave, Alabi.

price change predictions
781 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Jet5605
    • 11 Years
    11 hours, 51 mins ago

    Downgrade Bruno G to upgrade Semenyo? Or is he worth holding for Burnley and other nice fixtures?

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    1. Manani
      • 14 Years
      11 hours ago

      hold, you bought him for the fixtures presumably, just let the next 4 play out at least

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    2. WVA
      • 9 Years
      10 hours, 56 mins ago

      Not worth holding, won’t return again

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    3. RICICLE
      • 3 Years
      10 hours, 52 mins ago

      Defo worth holding now good fixtures are coming, and at home, BUR next!

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    4. The FPL Units
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      10 hours, 51 mins ago

      I got rid this week for Rice.

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  2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    11 hours, 46 mins ago

    Mount off

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    1. The Night Trunker.
      • 2 Years
      10 hours, 54 mins ago

      Never reached the summit

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  3. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    11 hours, 45 mins ago

    Mount subbed

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  4. Nightcrawler
    • 6 Years
    11 hours, 45 mins ago

    Anyone looking at Saka to Cunha? only way to get him for free

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    1. PartyTime
      • 4 Years
      10 hours, 50 mins ago

      Considering this but reluctant to do it because man utd are crap

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      1. Bennerman
        • 7 Years
        10 hours, 46 mins ago

        How's your 'Martinez man-marking Woltemade' lol going, hero?

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        1. PartyTime
          • 4 Years
          9 hours, 28 mins ago

          Heck! He blanked. From the little I saw, Shaw marked him before Amorim reverted to Zonal marking. Still a pretty short player to mark Big Nick.

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          1. Bennerman
            • 7 Years
            9 hours, 26 mins ago

            Idiot.

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  5. Supersonic_
    • 4 Years
    11 hours, 45 mins ago

    Mount injured?

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  6. Bobby Digital
    • 8 Years
    11 hours, 45 mins ago

    What happened to Mount?

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  7. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    11 hours, 45 mins ago

    Mount injured non shocker. He really needs a change of luck.

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  8. F4L
    • 11 Years
    11 hours, 44 mins ago

    bad news for cunha this mount injury, hes been huge recently

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  9. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    11 hours, 43 mins ago

    Lol, Ramsey 😆

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    1. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 12 Years
      10 hours, 48 mins ago

      Him and Elanga 😡

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  10. Fifa las vegas
    • 13 Years
    11 hours, 43 mins ago

    Ah god, Mount injured is going to hurt us over this period 🙁

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    1. RICICLE
      • 3 Years
      10 hours, 52 mins ago

      The guy just can’t stay fit can he, James 2.0

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  11. Tonyawesome69
    • 7 Years
    11 hours, 43 mins ago

    The answer is no...

    https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/comment/27472914

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    1. The FPL Units
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      10 hours, 52 mins ago

      Nice bookmarking

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  12. F4L
    • 11 Years
    11 hours, 42 mins ago

    nice yellow card avoidance by cunha there

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  13. The Night Trunker.
    • 2 Years
    11 hours, 40 mins ago

    C'mon the Toon!

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  14. Defcons are for Kinnear
    • 12 Years
    11 hours, 40 mins ago

    What's all the empty space behind United's goal?

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    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      10 hours, 46 mins ago

      I think it's the disabled area

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  15. z13
      11 hours, 39 mins ago

      Cunha 5 defcons

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    • Feanor
      • 16 Years
      11 hours, 38 mins ago

      Already got Dorgu in on my FH

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    • chocolove
      • 15 Years
      11 hours, 37 mins ago

      Cunha will exhausted soon, carrying United attack by himself. Lol

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      1. Bennerman
        • 7 Years
        10 hours, 46 mins ago

        HAHA bro tears insane

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        1. chocolove
          • 15 Years
          10 hours, 44 mins ago

          Feel lonely

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          1. Bennerman
            • 7 Years
            10 hours, 43 mins ago

            Can happen

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    • ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 15 Years
      11 hours, 35 mins ago

      Cunha playing left back

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      1. Bennerman
        • 7 Years
        10 hours, 44 mins ago

        No

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    • bso
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      11 hours, 34 mins ago

      Dorgu always on the ground. Should have stayed in bed today.

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      1. thegaffer82
        • 14 Years
        10 hours, 37 mins ago

        He’s been the best player today

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    • The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      11 hours, 33 mins ago

      According to the map, Gordon has only been in his own half twice in 57 minutes

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      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        10 hours, 42 mins ago

        He's also not touched the ball in the opposite box

        According to the TV heatmap

        So he's doing nothing?

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      2. Tonyawesome69
        • 7 Years
        10 hours, 40 mins ago

        He's made 5/5 successfully passes in his own half...

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        1. The Bandit
          • 15 Years
          10 hours, 38 mins ago

          Well Sky say he has only had two touches.

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    • Brosstan
      • 11 Years
      11 hours, 31 mins ago

      Cunha trying too much instead of staying in good positions... but tbf if he doesn't he will never get the ball because there's 0 creativity in this side

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    • chocolove
      • 15 Years
      11 hours, 31 mins ago

      Only viable outfield subs right now on that United squad are Yoro, Malacia, Zirkzee. Lol

      Good luck Cunha owner, you need that.

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      1. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        10 hours, 40 mins ago

        Please keep Yoro away Amorim. What a hazard he is

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      2. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        10 hours, 39 mins ago

        And two of them are on

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    • The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      11 hours, 30 mins ago

      Sesko off before 60. Surprised he lasted that long tbf.

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    • Brosstan
      • 11 Years
      11 hours, 30 mins ago

      Sesko missing sitter

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      1. Brosstan
        • 11 Years
        10 hours, 40 mins ago

        And subbed

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      2. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        10 hours, 38 mins ago

        That was hardly a sitter, mate.

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        1. Brosstan
          • 11 Years
          10 hours, 36 mins ago

          Haaland would have scored

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      3. g40steve
        • 7 Years
        10 hours, 38 mins ago

        Water is wet

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    • g40steve
      • 7 Years
      11 hours, 30 mins ago

      Casemiro benched

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      1. Brosstan
        • 11 Years
        10 hours, 39 mins ago

        Casemiro knows that his owners would be mad if he went off before 60, thats why he delayed.

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    • The Night Trunker.
      • 2 Years
      11 hours, 29 mins ago

      Yoro on, Newcastle odds on now

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    • AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      11 hours, 29 mins ago

      Did Casemiro hold out till the 60 mins + ?

      He's not a happy bunny there

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    • g40steve
      • 7 Years
      11 hours, 28 mins ago

      Hall off bar

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    • NZREDS
      • 12 Years
      11 hours, 28 mins ago

      Amorim tactical change - we know what that means!

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    • Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      11 hours, 28 mins ago

      Casemiro was on 11 defcons too!

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      1. Mr. O'Connell
        • 13 Years
        10 hours, 36 mins ago

        No wonder he didn't want to come off

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