Season 2008-2009

MANCHESTER UNITED

 v

NEWCASTLE UNITED

Match Preview:

A first game of any new season does not come any harder than an away trip to the Champions, but when those Champions are Manchester United, and last season they beat you 6-0 and 5-1, you would be excused at feeling daunted.

That task is what awaits Newcastle United this opening day weekend of the English Premier League season 2008-2009.

The Magpies start their first season in 12 years under manager Kevin Keegan, after what can best be described as a mixed pre-season.  A poor defeat away to Doncaster Rovers was followed by two lacklustre defeats in the Mallorca Summer Cup, however, some confidence was restored with a 2-2 draw, and 2-1 win at home to PSV Eindhoven and Valencia.

Injuries and special leave have certainly played there part in hindering Keegan’s pre-season plans.  His attacking resources were extremely stretched with Mark Viduka, Michael Owen and Andy Carroll all absent through injury, so when the sad news broke that Obafemi Martins mother had passed away, Newcastle were left with Alan Smith as the only recognised forward for a number of games.

The extended leave for African Cup of Nations duo, Habib Beye and Abdoulaye Faye, and Joey Barton’s stay in Her Majesty Prison, has meant only the Senegalese international has featured in pre-season among those three senior players.

Four new signings have arrived at St James Park to bolster Keegan’s squad.

Argentinean international midfielder Jonas Gutierrez was signed from Real Mallorca, fellow Argentinean international Fabricio Coloccini from Deportivo La Coruna for £9.1m, midfielder Danny Guthrie from Liverpool for £2.5m, and young French defender Sebastien Bassong arrived from Metz.

Confirmation on Friday of the signing of Coloccini, also come with the news that Gutierrez's international clearance had finally come through.

Meaning, Newcastle will definitely be without Owen, Viduka, Carroll, Barton, Ameobi, and doubts persist about Martins (knee), Cacapa and Beye who both missed training this week.

Manchester United themselves have not been without their problems this pre-season, the on-off transfer saga of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid has over shadowed their preparations.

The absence of Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney has seen the goals dry up in their finals two pre-season games, prompting Sir Alex Ferguson to publicly admit he is in the market for a new striker. 

United have been linked with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar of Ajax, Lyon's Karim Benzema and Blackburn's Roque Santa Cruz, but after being turned down by Valencia's David Villa this week, it would appear that a move for Tottenham forward Dimitar Berbatov will now intensify.

In the short term, Ferguson may give a chance to 20 year old striker Fraizer Campbell, who scored the winner against Espanyol in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's testimonial at Old Trafford.

Campbell played a major role in Hull City’s promotion to the Premier League last season and Tigers coach Phil Brown had hoped the striker would return to the KC Stadium this season.

The Red Devils will be without the injured Ronaldo, Owen Hargreaves, Louis Saha, and Ji-sung Park, the suspended Nani, and Anderson who is at the Olympics with Brazil.  While Wayne Rooney has recovered enough from a virus picked up in Nigeria.

Manchester United goes into this game as overwhelming favours, due in part to its impressive home record against Newcastle.  The Toon Army has not seen it’s team win in their last 27 visits to Old Trafford, in a run that goes back to the Feb 12th 1972.  For those old enough to remember, the Black & White heroes on that day were John Tudor and Stuart Barrowclough.

However, Manchester United were caught nappy by Reading on the opening weekend of last season, when the Royals went back to Berkshire with a 0-0 draw, so Keegan and his men will be hoping for a repeat performance.

After much talk, and column inches, it is fair to say the Kevin Keegan era under Mike Ashley really starts from this game.  With the 100% backing of the Toon Army it is time to create a new set of Black & White heroes.