Good afternoon. After suffering the defeat at David Moyes’ old club Everton on Wednesday, Manchester United lie in ninth place in the Premier League table and will be hoping to get back to winning ways against Newcastle.

The big news is that Robin van Persie is one of seven changes to United’s starting line-up. The Dutchman has recovered from a groin injury which has kept him out for a month and partners Javier Hernandez in attack with Wayne Rooney suspended.

For the Magpies, Mathieu Debuchy comes in for Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.

Manchester United: De Gea, Rafael Da Silva, Evans, Vidic, Evra, Nani, Cleverley, Jones, Januzaj, van Persie, Hernandez. Subs: Ferdinand, Anderson, Lindegaard, Young, Welbeck, Valencia, Zaha.

Newcastle: Krul, Debuchy, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Cabaye, Tiote, Anita, Sissoko, Remy, Gouffran. Subs: Cisse, Ben Arfa, Yanga-Mbiwa, Gutierrez, Elliot, Shola Ameobi, Obertan.

Speaking on Today FM’s The Last Word yesterday, regular pundit Mark Lawrenson claimed that Van Persie may have handed in a transfer request earlier this week. Despite the rumours, nothing has been confirmed and the striker returns for the first time since the win over Arsenal today.

Newcastle, one point above today’s opponents in the table, come into the game on the back of a 3-0 defeat to Swansea during the week.

That ended a run of four consecutive victories and Alan Pardew brings his team to Manchester hoping for the club’s first win at Old Trafford since 1972.

A quick pre-match stat for you via the guys at Opta.

David Moyes speaking to BT Sport: “People react when Manchester United lose games. I was well aware of that when I took the job.

“I’m pleased Robin is back. I don’t know if he’ll be able to play the whole game but we thought he was fit to start.”

“We know what Man United are about, we know how they play,” says Alan Pardew. “It’s not a mystery to us. We look at them and obviously they’re wounded. It’s about how we play, especially in the first half.”

Both teams are out and we’re moments away from kicking-off. First though, there’s a minute’s applause for former South African president Nelson Mandela, who passed away on Thursday.

And we’re off. United, wearing their home colours of red, white and black, tip off against Newcastle, in their third strip of yellow, blue and white. It’s just like watching Brazil… kind of.

Five minutes gone and both sides easing their way into the game. It is a big day for Tom Cleverley and Phil Jones, who are United’s central pairing with Michael Carrick still injured and Marouane Fellaini on the bench. Yohan Cabaye, attempting to close down Jones, catches him late and concedes a free-kick.

Cabaye is the first man into referee Andre Marriner’s book for a second challenge in quick succession. The Frenchman catches Adnan Januzaj on the top of the foot and will be suspended for their next league fixture.

Jones finds himself in acres of space and charges forward before having a strike at goal from 20 yards. It bounces just before Tim Krul but the Newcastle stopper collects confidently.

A well-worked move from United starts down the left where Patrice Evra gets forward and crosses to Januzaj at the back post. The young Belgian centres to Cleverley, whose first-time strike is blocked.

Cleverley then plays a one-two with Van Persie but his second attempt is weak.

Nani is down holding his head and the medical team are on to take a look. The replay shows that he was outjumped by Debuchy and caught a trailing arm. He’ll live.

Loic Remy gets himself ahead of Nemanja Vidic to connect with a cross from the right but heads a good distance wide.

Vidic and Remy then clash heads contesting a high ball but neither is seriously hurt.

United break quickly down the right but Chicharito is snuffed out when he gets into the box. They have just been awarded free-kick 40 yards out from goal after Anita’s foul on Jones. Newcastle clear as far as Nani and his attempted through-ball runs all the way to Krul.

Down the other end, Nani gifts the ball to Tiote and the midfielder threads a pass to Cabaye. He can only drag his strike across goal, however.

Tiote fould Rafael and Van Persie lines up the free-kick. It’s whipped to the back post and headed as far as Januzaj who goes by his man and crosses but it’s put out behind the end line by Mike Williamson.

United just beginning to take control here.

Cabaye is sat in the centre circle holding what looks to be his ankle.

Hernandez does well to hold up the ball but his attempted pass is slightly too long for Nana and Van Persis is unhappy with his team-mate.

Players using their phones on the bench. Where do you stand on it?

Hernandez cuts inside Coloccini in the box and goes down despite the fact that the Argentine defender has pulled his leg back at the last moment to avoid contact. Definitely not a penalty and the striker is lucky to have avoided a yellow card.

Remy does brilliantly to pick out the run of Debuchy, who ghosts in behind Evra. The full-back shoots early but David de Gea stands tall to make a good block.

Half-time: Manchester United 0-0 Newcastle

De Gea has to catch a header from the same player before the whistle goes.

And we’re back. The first half was pretty uneventful with neither side able to create many clear-cut chances so let’s hope for a better  second 45.

Yoan Gouffran takes a tumble in the box but play is waved on and rightly so.

Rafael breaks down the right and with players making runs into the box, the Brazilian puts the ball into a dangerous area. With Van Persie at the back post, however, Williamson gets a slight touch before Debuchy is able to head back to Krul.

Van Persie drops deep and picks out Hernandez with a delightful ball over the top. He shots with his second touch but Krul gets a foot to it.

Moments later, the Newcastle stopper has to keep out Januzaj.

United certainly upping the tempo here and Januzaj has won a free-kick. Nani delivers but Coloccini gets a strong head on it.

From the resulting penalty, Evra sees his header come back off the post before it hits Anita arm on the way out. Wasn’t intentional but could have been given.

Evra is down after a late tackle from Tiote but no action is taken against the Ivory Coast midfielder.

Hatem Ben Arfa has just been introduced for Gouffran.

GOAL! Manchester United 0-1 Newcastle (Yohan Cabaye)

The visitors take the lead! Sissoko gets a bit of luck with the ball bouncing off Evra and he cuts the ball back to Cabaye, who tucks it away into the bottom corner. Disaster for United.

Here’s that goal:

YouTube credit: AHLAN SAHLAN

Wilfried Zaha is about to be introduced by David Moyes.

Nani, who has been disappointing, is withdrawn for Zaha – a summer arrival from Crystal Palace.

A second change for United sees Anderson on for Cleverley.

Old Trafford erupts as United have the ball in the back of the net thanks to a header by Van Persie. However, referee’s assistant Sian Massey has correctly flagged for offside and it won’t count.

Zaha picks up the ball on the edge of the box and attempts to bend a shot into the top corner but is a couple of metres outside the far post.

Van Persie fizzes in a superb free-kick but Evans can’t make any contact and it bounces harmlessly away.

Moyes’ final throw of the dice sees Antonio Valencia on for Rafael.

Vidic puts in a crunching tackle on Anita before Newcastle’s goalscores Cabaye is withdrawn for Shola Ameobi.

Five minutes on the clock for United to rescue something from this.

Three minutes of added time. Moyes is understandably agitated on the sideline.

Full-time: Manchester United 0-1 Newcastle

Another miserable day for the new Manchester United manager, whose side slump to a second consecutive home defeat. Many home fans have been pouring out of the ground in the final few minutes.

It doesn’t make for enjoyable reading if you’re a Man Unite fan. There were some boos ringing around the ground at the final whistle.

Worrying…

Credit: Twitter

That’s my lot for now. Stick around though as we’ll have all the action from the rest of today’s Premier League games.