Former Manchester United star Dimitar Berbatov has made his prediction for Newcastle United’s clash with the Red Devils on Saturday.
The Bulgarian has unsurprisingly plumped for his old side, but he did concede that the Magpies will view this game as the perfect opportunity to face Jose Mourinho’s team.
“Against Newcastle I hope United can get a goal in the first 15 minutes to give them self-belief, assurance and calmness on the ball,” he wrote for Betfair. “I saw it in the last game that they want to put on a show for each other and the fans.
“But Rafa Benitez will tell his players that now is the best time to play Manchester United and he will have spent the last week telling them that. Maybe I am speaking with a bit of bias but I predict that United will win this, but it won’t be easy and it will be close.”
OPINION
Berbatov was always going to favour a United victory in this contest. Even with all the turmoil surrounding the Red Devils at the moment they will still be the favourites to defeat Newcastle on Saturday. But Berbatov is correct, Benitez will have been telling his players all week that there is no better time to take on United. The club are in disarray and Mourinho’s rule seems to be coming apart at the seams. The Magpies can certainly profit from the uncertainty at Old Trafford, but they have to be positive. Benitez cannot afford to shut up shop as he has done against the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City earlier this season. United, despite being a Champions League outfit, are not a dominant team in the same vein as those two, so Benitez should send his players out to attack the beleaguered hosts. The smart money is on United, of course, but don’t write off Benitez’s boys springing an upset.
