Newcastle United are likely to secure a 3-1 victory over Urawa Red Diamonds in this pre-season friendly match.
Newcastle United continue their pre-season preparations with a trip to Japan, facing J1 League side Urawa Red Diamonds at Saitama Stadium on Wednesday. This friendly match offers both teams valuable game time as they gear up for their respective campaigns.
Match Preview
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle side arrive in Japan looking to build on their recent 2-0 victory over Hull City. The Magpies are aiming to sharpen their skills ahead of a Premier League season where they’ll be eager to improve on last year’s 7th place finish.
Urawa Red Diamonds, currently sitting 10th in the J1 League, view this match as an opportunity to test themselves against Premier League opposition. The Japanese side will be keen to bounce back from their recent 4-3 defeat to bottom-placed Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo.
Urawa Red Diamonds vs Newcastle United Lineups and Formation
Predicted Urawa Red Diamonds Lineup (4-2-3-1): Inoue, Nishikawa, Hoibraten, Ito, Santana, Watanabe, Yasui, Ishihara, Sekine, Okubo, Takeda.
Predicted Newcastle United (4-3-3): Isak, Lewis, Kelly, Burn, Miley, Barnes, Hall, Pope, Joelinton, Livramento, Murphy.
Key Players to Watch
For Urawa, keep an eye on Thiago Santana. The Brazilian striker has been in fine form this season, netting 10 goals in 24 league appearances. He’ll be looking to test himself against Premier League defenders.
Newcastle’s Alexander Isak will be aiming to build on his goal-scoring performance against Hull City. The Swedish striker could prove a handful for the Urawa defense with his pace and clinical finishing.
Injured and Unavailable Players
Newcastle United
Jamaal Lascelles – Cruciate ligament injury (Expected return: January 2025)
Sven Botman – Cruciate ligament injury (Expected return: January 2025)
Joe Willock – Unspecified injury (Return date: Unknown)
Bruno Guimaraes – Extended break after international duty (Expected to rejoin the squad after Japan tour)
Kieran Trippier – Extended break after international duty (Expected to rejoin the squad after Japan tour)
Urawa Red Diamonds
No significant injuries reported ahead of the match
Where to Watch Urawa Red Diamonds vs Newcastle United Match Live?
Urawa Red Diamonds vs Newcastle United Live Streaming and TV Schedule
- United States: Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo
- United Kingdom: NUFC TV
- Japan: Lemino
- India: FanCode
- Norway: VG+
- Indonesia: Vision+, MNC Soccer Channel, K-Vision
- United Arab Emirates: Sharjah Sports
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: Moja TV, SportKlub 1 Serbia
- Bulgaria: MAX Sport 3
- Croatia: Sportklub 1 Croatia
Kickoff is scheduled for 11:30 AM local time (3:30 AM BST, 10:30 PM EDT on Tuesday).
Form Guide
Urawa Red Diamonds’ last 5 matches (all competitions): D-W-W-L-D-L
Newcastle United’s pre-season results: W-L-W
Head-to-Head
This will be the first-ever meeting between Urawa Red Diamonds and Newcastle United.
Who Will Win? Correct Score Prediction
While Urawa have the advantage of being mid-season, Newcastle’s superior quality should shine through. The Premier League side’s attacking talent, led by Isak, Joelinton, and new signing Harvey Barnes, could prove too much for the J1 League outfit.
Urawa Red Diamonds vs Newcastle United Prediction: Urawa Red Diamonds 1-3 Newcastle United
Latest News
- Newcastle manager Eddie Howe views this tour as crucial for team bonding and adapting to different playing conditions.
- Urawa midfielder Atsuki Ito expressed excitement about facing Premier League opposition, stating it’s a “great opportunity to learn and improve.”
- The match is part of Newcastle’s week-long tour of Japan, which also includes a game against Yokohama F. Marinos.
This friendly promises to be an intriguing clash of styles, as Newcastle’s Premier League pedigree meets Urawa’s J1 League experience. Both teams will be eager to impress and gain valuable insights as they prepare for their upcoming competitive fixtures.
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