Manchester United team news: Paddy McNair replaces Darren Fletcher as 17-year-old Adam Armstrong handed first Newcastle start

Armstrong has made just seven Premier League appearances from the bench but is preferred to Papiss Cisse

Jack de Menezes
Friday 26 December 2014 10:12 EST
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Newcastle striker Adam Armstrong
Newcastle striker Adam Armstrong (Getty Images)

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Manchester United have made one change to the side that drew 1-1 with Aston Villa with 19-year-old Paddy McNair coming in for Darren Fletcher.

United are looking to extend their unbeaten run of seven matches, although their winning streak ended last time out via the 1-1 draw with 10-man Villa. Fletcher drops to the bench with McNair coming in to a three-man defence, meaning Michael Carrick shifts forward into the midfield.

After a strong run tat pulled them away from the relegation zone, Newcastle have hit a tricky run that has seen them win just one of their last six games, and have lost their last two Premier League matches including the Tyne-Wear derby last weekend that saw Sunderland secure a last-gasp 1-0 win.

Alan Pardew makes two changes to his starting line-up, with Chieck Tiote suspended and replaced by Vurnon Anita due to picking up his fifth yellow card of the season last time out.

The big news though is in attack, with 17-year-old Adam Armstrong handed his maiden Premier League start for the Magpies at the expense of Sammy Ameobi. It means that Papiss Cisse remains on the bench, al0ong with Remy Cabella and Emmanuel Riviere.

Manchester United defender Paddy McNair
Manchester United defender Paddy McNair (Getty Images)

Line-ups:

Manchester United: De Gea, Jones, McNair, Evans, Valencia, Carrick, Rooney, Mata, Young, van Persie, Falcao

Subs: Lindegaard, Rafael, Smalling, Blackett, Fletcher, A.Pereira, Wilson.

Newcastle: Alnwick; Janmaat, Coloccini, S.Taylor, Dummett; Colback, Anita; Sissoko, Perez, Gouffran; Armstrong.

Subs: Woodman, Williamson, Satka, Cabella, Vuckic, Riviere, Cisse

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