The elegant Magpies Newcastle United welcome Liverpool to the Saint James Park in a fixture that is expected to provide nerve-racking moments.
Eddie Howe’s side have found it hard getting a win in their past five games as they have endured a run of two wins and three draws since the closing stages of the month of January.
Most recently was the 1-1 draw away at the Vitality Stadium against Bournemouth with draws to David Moyes’s West Ham United and Crystal Palace on the 21st of January.
In between those run of games, they defeated bottom placed Southampton in the Carabao Cup to advance to the final where they will face Manchester United in a week ahead from now.
Liverpool have also been abysmal in the Premier League as they have picked up just one win in their last six Premier League games.
First win of Liverpool in 2023
That win for Jurgen Klopp’s men was recorded on Monday in a two nill victory in the derby encounter against Everton.
In the game, Liverpool rolled back their domineering years under Jurgen Klopp and brought back reminiscent moments at which they tore teams apart with reckless abandon.
However, the win came against cataclysmic Everton who are placed eighteenth (18) on the Premier League table, it could be a springboard that might resurrect their season to a positive direction.
Liverpool are the only team in the Premier League this campaign to have picked maximum points against Newcastle United as they won at Anfield in the first leg by 2-1.
That game had every thing an enthralling game could possess in massive density, from the suspense to nail biting moments, drama amongst others.
Newcastle United are unbeaten at their home turf in all twelve (12) Premier League games this season and they have conceded a meagre amount of just six goals at the Saint James Park.
The fortress of Newcastle United!
This basically shows how they have turned their home ground to a fortress and if Liverpool are to get a win against the Magpies, they would have fight blood and sweat to secure it.
The Reds got their first league win of 2023 by defeating Sean Dyche’s Everton but they know they face a sterner test as they travel to Tyneside to battle against Newcastle United who currently occupy fourth (4th) on the Premier League table.
Liverpool are five (5) places behind Newcastle United in ninth (9th) just one point above Chelsea in tenth (10th) and nine (9) points away from the top four.
European football is definitely not out of the window for Liverpool this season but they know they would have to work painstakingly to get to the coveted Champions League spot.
They have lost in 2023 to Brighton and Hove Albion, Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers away from home since the year began, conceding nine goals and scoring only once in those set of matches.
Liverpool FC away form
Just two out of Jurgen Klopp’s men last ten (10) Premier League games away from home have ended in victory, but they left it till the dying embers to dramatically defeat Newcastle United in August.
The last loss of Newcastle United at the Saint James Park in the Premier League happened last season and they were defeated by Liverpool via a lone goal from Naby Keita.
Team News For Newcastle United
Nothing short of three Newcastle first team players were forced off through injury in the score draw with Bournemouth; Joe Willock, Allan Saint-Maximin and Almiron all went out injured with Miguel Almron expected to be unavailable for this game.
Moreover, Eddie Howe has trust that Almiron will be back sooner rather than later, while Saint-Maximin is also nursing a minor injury of his own and could also make a quick recovery to feature in this encounter, same applies for Callum Wilson who has an hamstring injury and Jamaal Lascelles who is out due to personal reasons.
The suspended Bruno Guimaraes won’t also play any part in this game in addition to Javier Manquillo, Emil Krafth and Matt Targett, while a lack of alternatives in midfield could see former Liverpool man Anthony Gordon come into the side for action.
Team News For Liverpool
For Liverpool they have a positive injury update with Diogo Jota returning alongside Virgil van Dijk and Roberto Firmino to the squad that faced Everton, Brazilian midfielder Arthur might be the next addition to the team this weekend after coming back to full training recovering from a thigh injury.
Ibrahima Konate, Luis Diaz and Thiago Alcantara still remain unavailable, with Thiago Alcantara expected to miss the next few games after he picked up a knock to his thigh.
Liverpool appear to have a comfortable team that can go toe-to-toe against Newcastle United and Mohammed Salah is two goals shy away from eclipsing the record of Robbie Fowler (128) as Liverpool’s top scorer in the Premier League.
Newcastle United Possible Starting Lineup:
Nick Pope; Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman, Daniel Burn, Miguel Almiron, Sean Longstaff, Joelinton, Alan Saint-Maximin, Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon
Liverpool FC Possible Starting Lineup:
Alisson Becker; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil Van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Stefan Bajcetic, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo.
Predictions:
We expect a 1-0 victory for Newcastle United or a 1-1 draw as both side would want to give all they can to salvage at least a point in the game.
