Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has warned that the Magpies’ recent strong record against Manchester United will count for little when the teams meet at Old Trafford on Friday.

Newcastle have won five of their last six matches against United in all competitions and four of the last five Premier League encounters since their 2-0 defeat to the Red Devils in the 2023 League Cup final.

However, Howe was cautious when asked if that Wembley loss had been a turning point for his side. He said:
“I don’t know. That was a painful moment, but I think you just go against every opponent in an honest way. My process is to see the strengths and weaknesses of the team we’re playing against. You don’t particularly look at the name or who you’re playing; you just attack the game, highlight their weaknesses, and protect yours. The process is the same.”

The former Bournemouth manager added:
“Our record against Manchester United in recent games has been good, but that counts for nothing in this game. It will be another independent match. As I say, they’ve improved and have been really strong in their games—even in the recent draw at Aston Villa, where they didn’t win, I thought they were really strong and produced a good performance.”

Last season, Newcastle finished 10 places and 24 points ahead of Manchester United. However, heading into the Boxing Day clash, the Magpies sit three points behind their hosts after letting two points slip in a 2-2 home draw against Chelsea on Saturday.

Record signing Nick Woltemade was the star for Newcastle against Chelsea, scoring both goals in an impressive first-half display and cementing his bond with the club’s passionate supporters.

“You can see that when he scores, he’s got a really good connection with the crowd, and he’s happy to embrace the celebrations with them,” Howe said. “I thought it was his best performance for the team on Saturday. He played really well, especially in the first half. You saw his qualities returning for the team—his linking play, dropping slightly deeper to help build through the thirds, and most importantly, being in the right place in the box when the ball arrived.”