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Man Utd v Newcastle team news: Martinez starts

26 December 2025 947 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
947 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    23 hours, 33 mins ago

    That’s a mad substitution

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    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      23 hours, 32 mins ago

      Casimero?

      He was flabbergasted

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      1. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        23 hours, 31 mins ago

        Ugarte is good at breaking up play but gives away so many fouls and loses possession regularly. I’m surprised

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    2. F4L
      • 11 Years
      23 hours, 31 mins ago

      kinda wanted united to go 442 there, shame

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  2. F4L
    • 11 Years
    23 hours, 33 mins ago

    beautiful strike from hall

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  3. Defcons are for Kinnear
    • 12 Years
    23 hours, 32 mins ago

    Is that handball from Martinez?

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    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      23 hours, 31 mins ago

      Chest first

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    2. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      23 hours, 30 mins ago

      Would be harsh, wrestling with Schar and comes off his chest first

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  4. Feanor
    • 16 Years
    23 hours, 32 mins ago

    FH team so far - 1.9m in the bank

    Sanchez (Dub)
    Timber, Virgil, Nunes, Dorgu (Gudmundsson)
    Saka, Foden, Cunha, Szoboszlai (Rogers)
    Haaland, Ekiteke (Guiu)

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  5. The Night Trunker.
    • 2 Years
    23 hours, 31 mins ago

    VAR pen check

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    1. brianutd-why always we? 20
      • 14 Years
      23 hours, 31 mins ago

      No way

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  6. thegaffer82
    • 14 Years
    23 hours, 31 mins ago

    Sesko is awful. He brings nothing to the party at all

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    1. Brosstan
      • 11 Years
      23 hours, 30 mins ago

      Agree but Zirkzee is even worse.

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    2. F4L
      • 11 Years
      23 hours, 27 mins ago

      doesnt look an upgrade on hojlund as it stands

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  7. Mr. O'Connell
    • 13 Years
    23 hours, 30 mins ago

    Quite fancy United to win this one

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    1. brianutd-why always we? 20
      • 14 Years
      23 hours, 28 mins ago

      With a Cunha goal

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      1. Mr. O'Connell
        • 13 Years
        23 hours, 26 mins ago

        2 Wissa goals

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  8. PartyTime
    • 4 Years
    23 hours, 30 mins ago

    It seems Newcastle like to complicate things & make it hard for themselves. The team is very good on paper, but too many touches before that killer final pass slowing things down against man utd. They have to be more precise & direct imo. With the recent take-over & investments, maybe Howe’s time should come to an end tbh.

    Struggling to defeat Man utd in 2025 is a sign of decline.

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  9. brianutd-why always we? 20
    • 14 Years
    23 hours, 29 mins ago

    Changing formation mid game is suicidal for this squad. No wonder they don’t know what to do

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  10. The Knights Template
    • 12 Years
    23 hours, 29 mins ago

    Any YCs yet?

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    1. tutankamun
      • 16 Years
      23 hours, 26 mins ago

      Shaw

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    2. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      23 hours, 26 mins ago

      Shaw YC, delaying

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    3. Captain Mal
      • 1 Year
      23 hours, 24 mins ago

      I think I just Shaw one

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  11. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    23 hours, 28 mins ago

    What type of tactics are these. Sitting back and soaking pressure from the start of the 2nd half

    They were doing ok taking the game to Newcastle. Now they are all over the place

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    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      23 hours, 27 mins ago

      Newcastle cont look like scoring if they played till New Years day!

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    2. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      23 hours, 26 mins ago

      Newcastle were always going to have a period coming at them and when Mount went off they lost those little intricate touches and passes to transition from defence to attack like they did in the first half

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  12. PartyTime
    • 4 Years
    23 hours, 28 mins ago

    Where is Woltemade when I need him ffs?!

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    1. thegaffer82
      • 14 Years
      23 hours, 27 mins ago

      Playing like Sesko…
      Anonymous!

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    2. brianutd-why always we? 20
      • 14 Years
      23 hours, 27 mins ago

      On the bench now

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      1. PartyTime
        • 4 Years
        23 hours, 26 mins ago

        Constant FPL pain

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    3. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      23 hours, 27 mins ago

      Sat on the bench

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  13. fedolefan
    • 11 Years
    23 hours, 28 mins ago

    Newcastle triple sub being readied. Look away Gordon and Wolte owners.

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    1. fedolefan
      • 11 Years
      23 hours, 26 mins ago

      Gordon survives triple sub.

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  14. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    23 hours, 28 mins ago

    Woltemade subbed

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    1. g40steve
      • 7 Years
      23 hours, 27 mins ago

      With Murphy & Ramsey

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    2. chocolove
      • 15 Years
      23 hours, 26 mins ago

      Lol avoid like plague
      But I will go there on Fh next gw. Luckily

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  15. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    23 hours, 27 mins ago

    Wolt and Gordon blanks

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    1. Feanor
      • 16 Years
      23 hours, 26 mins ago

      Gordon is still on

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      1. Mr. O'Connell
        • 13 Years
        23 hours, 26 mins ago

        Exactly

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  16. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    23 hours, 27 mins ago

    Wissa,
    Linton
    Barnes

    On

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  17. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    23 hours, 27 mins ago

    Long time for United to sit back and protect the win but there will definitely be space for counter attacks, Newcastle sitting 15 yards in the Utd half.

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    1. thegaffer82
      • 14 Years
      23 hours, 26 mins ago

      You need somebody ahead of the ball to counter attack… Utd are playing a back 10 right now!

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  18. Feanor
    • 16 Years
    23 hours, 27 mins ago

    Wissa on for Wolt
    Barnes for Murphy
    Joelinton for Ramsey

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    1. Haa-lala-land
      • 5 Years
      23 hours, 22 mins ago

      Barnes should have started this game, he loves a goal against Man U

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  19. Nightcrawler
    • 6 Years
    23 hours, 27 mins ago

    Being taken off when your teamis trailing 1-0

    Woltemade is a terrible pick when u consider the mids u can get for the same price range

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    1. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      23 hours, 25 mins ago

      I don’t think anybody owns him!

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      1. Nightcrawler
        • 6 Years
        23 hours, 24 mins ago

        he has decent ownership around my rank for some reason. expect it to go down now

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        1. The Knights Template
          • 12 Years
          23 hours, 20 mins ago

          I expect all owners will go down.

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  20. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    23 hours, 27 mins ago

    I swear there’s usually loads of prem matches on Boxing Day?

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    1. brianutd-why always we? 20
      • 14 Years
      23 hours, 26 mins ago

      Keep up buddy

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    2. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      23 hours, 26 mins ago

      Usually a full programme

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    3. g40steve
      • 7 Years
      23 hours, 25 mins ago

      Usually on Prime.

      IF Netflix get WBD they should have all the current TNT Prem & Euro games

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  21. pundit of punts
    • 12 Years
    23 hours, 26 mins ago

    Woltemade subbed

    F u Howe

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    1. RICICLE
      • 3 Years
      23 hours, 25 mins ago

      Just a non asset now

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      1. Haa-lala-land
        • 5 Years
        23 hours, 23 mins ago

        He scored a brace literally last week

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        1. Nightcrawler
          • 6 Years
          23 hours, 22 mins ago

          and now wissa is getting more and more minutes each week. poor pick going forward

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    2. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      23 hours, 24 mins ago

      Scorecheck - 0 from 0 here!

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      1. Bennerman
        • 7 Years
        23 hours, 23 mins ago

        -4 from 0, metal guru

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        1. The Knights Template
          • 12 Years
          23 hours, 22 mins ago

          Outstanding tourney-play!

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  22. Drip Doctor
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    23 hours, 26 mins ago

    Thoughts on getting Gordon for the upcoming run? Not sure if him staying on is bad for a start vs Burnley.

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    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      23 hours, 25 mins ago

      No open play goals in 26 matches. Has to stop the rot soon, right?

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      1. Drip Doctor
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        23 hours, 24 mins ago

        Mad stat isn't it.

        bur PAL LEE wol

        Not really seeing a better pick around that price.

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    2. chocolove
      • 15 Years
      23 hours, 22 mins ago

      Avoid all nufc attacker since Wissa didnt go to Afcon

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  23. Brosstan
    • 11 Years
    23 hours, 26 mins ago

    Wissa destined to score. united trying to safe the 1-0 lead at 60 mins is never going to work.

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    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      23 hours, 25 mins ago

      They need a win they can grind out like this. Will go a long way for them in the coming games too if they manage to pull it off

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  24. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    23 hours, 25 mins ago

    Cunha where art thou?

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  25. Feanor
    • 16 Years
    23 hours, 25 mins ago

    Joelinton clattered Cunha

    Cunha cried, ref chuckled

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  26. Brosstan
    • 11 Years
    23 hours, 25 mins ago

    Shaw YC for wasting time on the throw? I thought they changed it so that the other side would get the throw if you took too long.

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    1. Tonyawesome69
      • 7 Years
      23 hours, 21 mins ago

      No...

      https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4079544

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  27. The Night Trunker.
    • 2 Years
    23 hours, 25 mins ago

    It's coming.
    I can feel it.

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    1. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      23 hours, 23 mins ago

      Onanist!

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      1. Bennerman
        • 7 Years
        23 hours, 22 mins ago

        In fairness, there may be another party absolving him from onanist shame

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        1. The Knights Template
          • 12 Years
          23 hours, 18 mins ago

          He’s jousting with himself!

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      2. The Night Trunker.
        • 2 Years
        23 hours, 21 mins ago

        Pianist!

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  28. F4L
    • 11 Years
    23 hours, 24 mins ago

    i wish united players would just trust cunha, play the ball into his feet. hardly anyone better in the league taking the ball in under pressure. ugarte just then chose not to

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  29. chocolove
    • 15 Years
    23 hours, 24 mins ago

    Got Dorgu and Murphy for 15 and 8 pts respectively on fpl Challenge. Hugeee

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    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      23 hours, 22 mins ago

      I got Martinez thinking he might play in midfield

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      1. chocolove
        • 15 Years
        23 hours, 20 mins ago

        Doubt it when i saw ugarte and casemiro there

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  30. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 11 Years
    23 hours, 23 mins ago

    What to do with pope...?

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    1. chocolove
      • 15 Years
      23 hours, 22 mins ago

      Worship him

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