Man United Newcastle United Live Football Score 02/04/2023

Groups of Newcastle United and Manchester United fans have joined forces before the teams meet on Sunday to call for a ban on the sale of clubs to states who could use their ownership for sportswashing human rights abuses. NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing and United Against Sportwashing issued a joint statement in the buildup to the game at St James’ Park. Newcastle are majority-owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), while the Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani is trying to buy Manchester United.

The Premier League approved the Newcastle takeover after saying it received “legally binding assurances” the Saudi state would not have control of the club. Its chief executive, Richard Masters, said this week he could not comment on whether Newcastle’s links with Saudi Arabia were being reinvestigated in light of a recent US court case. A brief filed on its behalf in a case involving the PGA Tour and LIV Golf describes the PIF as “a sovereign instrumentality of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” and Newcastle’s chairman, Yasir al-Rumayyan, as “a sitting minister of the Saudi government”.

Sheikh Jassim has said he has bid for Manchester United as an independently wealthy individual via his Nine Two Foundation and that his offer is not connected to Qatar’s ruler, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. The joint statement said: “While NUFC play MUFC on Sunday, groups of fans from both clubs will be united in a common cause, regardless of the result on the pitch. We are Newcastle United and Manchester United fans standing together to call for an end to the sale of our historic clubs to states which use them to sportswash their human rights abuses.”

The statement called for “full transparency” from Masters regarding Newcastle, including publishing “what the ‘legal and binding assurances’ given to the Premier League were”. In relation to Sheikh Jassim’s interest in Manchester United, the fans said: “This follows the exposure of Qatari human rights abuses during the World Cup. We know that Qatar has a law No. (25) of 2002 which makes any significant investment subject to direct supervision of the state.” On Thursday the Premier League approved tougher measures for its owners’ and directors’ test that would bar anyone found to have committed human rights abuses from owning a club, based on the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations.

A number of Reds have been away representing their respective countries across the world but preparation is being ramped up at Carrington for the return to Premier League combat in Sunday’s 16:30 BST kick-off at Newcastle United. With the Magpies only three points behind Erik’s side in the table, it is a key battle in the race for a top-four place. The boss addressed the key issue of Marcus Rashford’s fitness situation, after our leading scorer was forced to withdraw from the England squad through injury. Rashford missed England’s recent Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine after withdrawing from Gareth Southgate’s squad due to an unspecified knock sustained in United’s FA Cup quarter-final win over Fulham on March 19.

The 36-year-old has acted as the primary back-up to David de Gea throughout the 2022-23 season, but his absence is set to see Jack Butland promoted to the bench at St James’ Park. Butland hasn’t been named in a Premier League matchday squad since joining on loan from Crystal Palace in January. “Yeah, unfortunately the day before the Fulham game, I rolled my ankle in training,” Heaton told MUFCTV. “Thankfully, it’s not too bad but it’ll mean a couple of weeks out, I think. I should be back some point in April somewhere, hopefully halfway through.

“It’s an occupational hazard unfortunately, a bit of a random one but, yeah, I just went over on the ankle and nicked the ligament. I’m in this [protective boot] for another few days then hope to get it back moving again.” Frustratingly for Erik ten Hag, it’s another name to add to the Red Devils’ injury list – with seven players in total ruled out of the visit to Tyneside, and another four players rated as doubtful. Here’s a look at Man United’s injury list and suspension list in full:

With no wins from five games between February and the beginning of March, the Magpies were not feeling the love during the Valentine’s period, but Eddie Howe’s crop scooped a pair of 2-1 victories over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest to reignite their glimmer of hope. A delicate Emmanuel Dennis chip was in vain at the City Ground, as Alexander Isak’s brace kept Newcastle within touching distance of Tottenham, who are only two points better off than Howe’s side in fourth place having played two games more.

From a team that kept clean sheets for fun to one that have conceded in their last eight matches in all competitions, Newcastle are not the defensive force that they once were during the earlier stages of the campaign, and only two of their last five Premier League home games have ended in victory. However, only Liverpool have got the better of Howe’s men on their own turf this term – and even then the 10 men of Newcastle gave the Reds quite the run for their money – so Man United must still have their wits about them against a Magpies side with an overriding desire for vengeance.

Top-flight endeavours arguably took a back seat for Man United just before the international break, as Erik ten Hag’s side came up trumps in their battles for Europa League and FA Cup supremacy against Real Betis and Fulham respectively. After setting up a continental quarter-final with La Liga relegation candidates Sevilla, the Red Devils emerged victorious from a truly chaotic FA Cup last-eight clash with Fulham, whose master plan collapsed when Willian and Aleksandar Mitrovic were both given their marching orders. Mitrovic had drawn first blood for the Cottagers before an inexcusable shove on referee Chris Kavanagh – the Serbian reacted angrily to Willian’s handball and subsequent sending off – as Bruno Fernandes converted the resulting penalty before completing his brace after a Marcel Sabitzer strike.

Dreams of a quadruple are surely too far-fetched for Man United, who played just twice in the Premier League in March – that 7-0 humiliation to Liverpool and goalless draw with Southampton – leaving them safely on the final podium spot and one point clear of Tottenham, who have played two games more. While Newcastle have lost their defensive sparkle, Man United – rather incredibly – hold the fourth-worst defensive record on the road this season, with their total of 27 goals conceded only better than Bournemouth (38), Nottingham Forest (32) and Leicester City (30).

Tears streamed down the faces of Newcastle players and fans as Man United ended their six-year trophy drought with a 2-0 win in February’s EFL Cup final, and the Magpies are winless in their last six Premier League showdowns with their Manchester counterparts, but they came away from Old Trafford with a creditable point in a goalless stalemate back in October. Neither Miguel Almiron (thigh) nor Emil Krafth (ACL) will be at Howe’s disposal for Sunday’s battle, while Ryan Fraser remains exiled as he trains with the Under-21s, but Joelinton is back from a two-game ban for accumulating 10 yellow cards.

As is the case with many Premier League sides, the Magpies must assess a wealth of injury and illness doubts following the international break, with all of Nick Pope (knock), Sven Botman (fever), Allan Saint-Maximin (thigh) and Anthony Gordon (ankle) uncertain for the visit of Man United. However, all of Pope, Botman and Saint-Maximin have been put through their paces in training and ought to be available, although ex-Man United loanee Martin Dubravka will be on standby if number one Pope is not given the green light to play.

As far as Man United are concerned, Casemiro will serve the second of his four-game domestic ban for his sending off against Southampton, while Sabitzer will need a once-over after sustaining a knock with Austria, leaving Ten Hag particularly light in midfield as Donny van de Beek (knee) and Christian Eriksen (ankle) recover from their long-term afflictions. Sabitzer is thought to have a strong chance of being passed fit, having been spotted in first-team training recently, but the same cannot be said for ankle victims Alejandro Garnacho and Tom Heaton.

On a couple of brighter notes, Anthony Martial could make his long-awaited comeback from a hip problem – although he will certainly start on the bench – while Raphael Varane’s knock should not keep him out of contention for this one either. Finally, the Red Devils continue to sweat over the condition of 14-goal attacker Marcus Rashford (toe), but he is supposedly winning his battle to be fit and should occupy the left flank.