Newcastle vs Strasbourg - Friendlies Clubs

The history between Newcastle and Strasbourg lends this Friendlies Clubs fixture an extra layer of spice, and when the two walk out at the home ground on August 16, 2026, recent encounters will be on everyone's mind. Catch up with all the action from Chelsea's pre-season clash with AC Milan.

There is little to choose between Newcastle and Strasbourg on paper, and the Friendlies Clubs encounter should reflect that balance. Newcastle will be keen to seize the initiative and build some momentum on home soil. The visitors will back themselves to cause problems and will not make the trip expecting an easy afternoon. The midfielder faces a significant period on the sidelines after being stretchered off during Uruguay's 1-0 defeat to Spain in the recent FIFA World Cup.

Wing play is likely to be central to the contest. Newcastle will look to stretch the pitch and isolate their wide attackers, while Strasbourg must find a way to compress the space and choke the supply lines. In his press conference on Friday, Tuchel admitted it 'hurt him' not to play the United man in America.

Game-changers are scattered across both line-ups, and the contest may well be decided by which side's match-winners deliver on the day. How each side deals with the other's danger men — and who takes their chances when they come — will be central to the outcome. The former Chelsea midfielder knows the league intimately, as a coach and a player.

Predictions are tricky when the sides are this evenly matched, and small margins — a moment of quality, a slice of luck — could decide it either way. The signals point towards a stalemate, with the two sides closely matched across form and standings. A 1-1 draw is easy to envisage. With the standings tight and form on the line, this is a fixture neither side will want to lose. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Liverpool's midfield wasn't great last year but I expect Florian Wirtz to have a better season, 100 per cent.