Three things to think about: Newcastle vs Manchester United (Premier League)

Manchester United are returning to Premier League action as they travel to face Newcastle United on Sunday.

Manchester United are looking to further strengthen their place in the top four as Erik ten Hag aims for Champions League qualification at the end of the current Premier League campaign.

This Newcastle United fixture comes after a two-week international break that saw many United players thrive on the world stage, as well as some indulging in some well-earned rest.

Read More: Erik ten Hag receives boost as Christian Eriksen’s Man United return date set

Here are three things to look out for surrounding the tie.

#1 – Scott McTominay’s return

One player who had an exceptional international break was none other than Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay.

The Scotsman scored four goals across two fixtures during the international break, including both in a famous 2-0 victory over Spain on Tuesday afternoon.

He also came off the bench to score 2 against Cyprus just over one week ago, causing much talk to generate surrounding both his abilities and his future.

Despite being relegated to the bench for much of the season at United, McTominay‘s fantastic performances in the last two weeks, combined with Casemiro’s suspension, could allow the Scotsman to staked his claim back in Ten Hag’s XI.

|Speaking on the player, Ten Hag said on Friday: “He can play in many roles, it’s clear he has scoring capabilities for Scotland but also this season for us he’s a really good finisher but I see him as a midfielder.”

#2 – Newcastle’s league position

Although at first glance, Newcastle United look to have dropped out of the Champions League places in the Premier League, do not be fooled by their position.

They currently sit two points behind Tottenham in fourth, however, they have played two games fewer than the North London club and sit just three points behind Manchester United on equal games played in the table.

Newcastle have taken many by surprise this season by pushing for Champions League qualification spaces in the Premier League, pulling out several brilliant results and narrowly losing out on a Carabao Cup trophy at Wembley last month.

This fixture no doubt represents a fantastic opportunity for Eddie Howe’s men to climb back into the top four spots, and Ten Hag must stay wary of this.

#3 – The run-in starts now

With the return of the Premier League signifying the end of the international break, there will be no more international fixtures until the current domestic season has concluded.

This means that, effectively, the run-in starts now.

Quite famously, Sir Alex Ferguson has referred to this point in the Premier League as “squeaky bum time”, and with just 12 fixtures left for Manchester United in the league as well as knockout games in both the FA Cup and Europa League to come, it will certainly be a thrilling end to the season.