Can Newells Old Boys’ home resilience test Union Santa Fe’s away defence?

Home and away point to the central question

Newells Old Boys have lost only three of their 15 home games in this league season, while Union Santa Fe have lost nine of their 17 away games. The contrast is reinforced by the goals: Newells have scored 16 and conceded 15 at home, whereas Union have scored 22 and conceded 30 away. Union have kept no clean sheets on the road, compared with five for Newells at Estadio Marcelo Bielsa.

Different positions in the provisional tables

In the provisional Clausura Group A table, Newells are sixth with 21 points from 14 games, while Union are 10th with 17 points from 14. The Apertura Group A picture differs: Union were eighth with 21 points from 16 games, six points ahead of Newells in 14th with 15.

That makes the fixture relevant to both teams, without establishing any confirmed qualification or relegation consequence. Newells’ preferred shape has been 4-2-3-1 in 19 matches, while Union have used 4-4-2 in 25. Those selections describe the most common formations, not the full match plan.

Goal threat to track

Union’s clearest named threat is C. Tarragona, with 15 goals and two assists in 31 appearances. Newells’ home attack has produced 16 goals this season. Their recent lists cover 30 and 32 matches respectively and remain mixed rather than conclusive.

At kickoff, can Newells’ home defence contain Tarragona while their 16-goal home attack finds Union’s away defence without a clean sheet?