Enemy Vision: A candid Q&A with a Manchester United fan

It’s time for Newcastle United to face their demons, or perhaps their devils, as they’ll play host to Manchester United on Sunday at St James’ Park.

If you remember (you might don’t want to, which would be understandable), the last time the two United met in any competition the red side of that battle got away with a victory and a cup inside their bag.

We felt the urge to ask someone from the enemy lines about a bunch of different things related to United from the potential takeover of the club to the favorite players of years pasts to multiple other topics.

Here is our little Q&A with Stretty News’ Brian Murphy, who you can follow on Twitter over @DaytrippingRed and whose work can be found over @StrettyNews.

You can read CHN Antonio’s thoughts on a similar Q&A posted at Stretty News earlier this week.

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Photo by Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images

Newcastle have not defeated Man Utd since October 2019. How confident are you ahead of the game, do you think Newcastle have enough to pull off the upset this time?

I’d be relatively confident, but not cocksure about a win. Newcastle have been having a great season, we have been a bit dead on our feet the last while due to the fixture pile-up but I’m hopeful that if the international break injected some energy back into our weary legs, we’ll have enough to get the result and get back to strong form for the end of the season.

What’s the general feeling among Man Utd fans about the potential overtake carried out by a Qatar-backed board?

I guess it depends on who you ask. Neither of the three rumored buyers (Qatar, Radcliffe, Finnish fella) is what you’d call “ideal owners”, it’s a case of who’s the best of a bad bunch for me.

Internet fans, I think prefer Qatar’s endless money, the Mbappe signings, and that sort of thing.

Match-going Reds, a bit mixed but I think lean more toward Radcliffe and away from any style of Qatari/state ownership.

In case the bottomless pockets of Qatar ends up taking over the club, which are the changes to expect or are most looking forward to for Man Utd as a club?

I think renovation of the stadium would be what most match-goers would want, outside of being debt free after nearly 2 decades of horrendous mismanagement of finances and glorified stealing of club funds by our current owners. For me, personally, I want the ground revamped, not rebuilt. Old Trafford is one of the iconic grounds we have in our leagues, it would be a shame to see it knocked for an ashtray-shaped, soulless bowl.

Which Newcastle United player, if any, would you like to see at Manchester? Would anyone make the XI?

I think Bruno Guimares is the standout. Classy baller, and looks to be your best player by a distance for me. Saint-Maximin has the ability but lacks that bit of end product to go along with his outrageous skill he shows off weekly.

Would anyone on Newcastle’s team make the Red Devils starting XI?

Debatable!

Will Man Utd finish as the 3rd best EPL team this season? Higher? There are still FA Cup and Europa League games in ManU schedule that might affect their league run...

That’s the concern for all of us. European competition progression and FA Cup, along with the already finished Carabao Cup run, in a season of rebuild and a season which saw a lunacy World Cup played in the winter causing fixture havoc, has put us in a precarious position due to the lack of squad depth and quality in that depth.

I’ll be happy if we get over the top-4 line, and add another trophy.

Which players should we watch out for on current form?

Marcus Rashford has to be the one. The lad has regained serious form and is playing the best football of his career. If he’s on it, he can destroy a backline in an instant, a far cry from his form of the last season or two.

What do you think of Newcastle United a) the club; b) the team; c) the fans and d) the manager?

A - Always viewed Newcastle as a big club, well established, well followed, bigger than Sunderland anyway! Maybe getting a bit big for your boots currently though…

B - Decent side, used to enjoy watching the Asprilla years, when Keith Gillespie left for your lot, I kept an eye on his games before becoming friendly with him in later years. You’ve had some very entertaining sides over the years but maybe underachieve a bit.

C - I could go in here and mention some odd behavior involving a fountain in London recently, or the impetus on a large-bellied male with NUFC tattooed across his belly on display in the middle of winter, but I’ll say, I find your fans to be fairly passionate, enjoy a good rivalry with your Mackey neighbors and travel well.

D - Think your gaffer was a very shrewd appointment. Given the bank balance is bursting at the seams but you need to keep within FFP while building up your financial ability to splash the cash, I think he’s assembled a very good side with clever signings and clever management. I like the fella, seems like a good bloke.

Best and worst memories from games involving Manchester United and Newcastle.

Best was obviously causing Kevin Keegan to have “that rant.”

Worst, Phillipe Albert mugging Schmeichel off from outside the box when you leathered us that day, salt in the wounds stuff

High and low points as a Man Utd fan this season?

The low was probably the very start of the season, a terrible start and a feeling of “oh no, not again!”

Best, a toss-up between the away end in Camp Nou and Wembley where we beat… Newcastle!

All-time Man Utd cult hero and why?

Beckham. Growing up he was the poster boy, had the style and the ability, and played up to it. He has always been my favorite United player, but honorable mention for Cantona, of course.

Favorite Man Utd XI from players you have seen?

DDG
Neville, Vidic, Rio, Irwin
Keane, Scholes, Beckham, Giggs
Rooney, Ronaldo

Predict the score of the game at St. James’ Park this weekend!

2-1 to United! (No, not the one you think…)