Newcastle United and Liverpool’s highly-expected match at St James’ Park on Sunday could play a huge role in the Premier League’s top-four race in the future.
Newcastle United, led by Eddie Howe, made a strong statement with a 5-1 win against Aston Villa in their opening game but faced a reality check against Manchester City in their last match, losing 1-0 even without Kevin De Bruyne.
Howe has had his share of rivalries, particularly with Liverpool, whom he narrowly outperformed for fourth place last season.
Jurgen Klopp is keen on redemption after Liverpool missed out on Champions League qualification for the first time in his tenure.
Klopp has set higher expectations for his team this season after adding players like Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Alexis Mac Allister.
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Liverpool’s recent 3-1 comeback victory against Bournemouth indicates their determination to improve upon their mediocre 2022-23 season.
Less than a day after arriving in England, Endu made his Premier League debut last week. He entered the match in the second half, taking over from Mac Allister, who had been sent off.
Newcastle United vs. Liverpool: Form Guide
Newcastle have only suffered consecutive league defeats twice in the last 16 months, with both instances involving losses to Man City and Liverpool.
They have lost their last four league matches against Liverpool, including a 2-0 defeat in their last meeting in February.
This result was one of Newcastle’s only two Premier League home losses in the 2022/23 season, and it marked one of their three games without scoring at St James’ Park in 2023.
Recent history also doesn’t favour the hosts, as they have failed to score in their last three top-flight matches against the Reds at home.
The boss previewed the ‘proper game’ he expects ahead of #NEWLIV on Sunday, @wataru0209's debut and more ⤵
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 25, 2023
However, Liverpool’s defence has not been as solid as it once was, with four league games without a clean sheet. Klopp has a strong record against Newcastle’s manager, Howe, winning 12 of their 14 previous meetings, drawing one, and losing one.
Liverpool are in good form, boasting the longest ongoing unbeaten run in the Premier League with eight wins and five draws.
Also Read:Â 3 most controversial red card moments at Liverpool FC in 2023
Newcastle United vs. Liverpool: Team News
In terms of team news, Emil Krafth, Javier Manquillo, and Joe Willock remain sidelined for Newcastle. However, they have a bigger concern as Joelinton picked up an injury against Man City and might not be available.
For Liverpool, Curtis Jones and Thiago Alcantara are unavailable due to injuries. Despite receiving a straight red card in the game against Bournemouth, Alexis Mac Allister is eligible for selection as his suspension was overturned.
Newcastle United vs. Liverpool: The predicted starting line-ups
Newcastle United (4-3-3): Nick Pope; Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman, Dan Burn; Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, Sean Longstaff; Miguel Almiron, Alexander Isak, Harvey Barnes.
Also Read:Â Liverpool are set to officially appeal for Alexis Mac Allister red card
Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson; Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai; Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz.
Our Final Scoreline: Newcastle United 2-2 Liverpool
Newcastle’s impressive performance at home under Eddie Howe is a notable factor, even though they have historically struggled against Liverpool.
Under different circumstances, we might have expected Liverpool to secure a draw, as Klopp’s newly formed midfield might need more time to adapt and perform effectively.
