Newcastle United host Liverpool in a huge Premier League meeting at St James’ Park.
Victory would see Newcastle climb as high as fourth should Manchester City lose elsewhere earlier on Sunday afternoon, whilst Liverpool can go top if can win by at least two goals and Man City fail to win in their match.
Team News
Lewis Hall is in line for his Newcastle debut after he joined on loan from Chelsea in midweek.
Joelinto (knock) is set to feature but Emil Krafth (knee), Javier Manquillo (groin) and Joe Willock (hamstring) remain absent.
Liverpool could have Trent Alexander-Arnold available after he was substituted with a knock during their win over Bournemouth.
Ibrahima Konate (muscle) is a doubt but Thiago Alcantara (hip) and Curtis Jones (ankle) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Newcastle welcome Liverpool to St James’ Park in a 4:30pm BST kick-off on Sunday 27 August, live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Newcastle are winless in their last 13 matches against Liverpool (D4, L9).
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last six visits to Newcastle (W4, D2).
- Jurgen Klopp’s Reds have kept clean sheets in their last three visits to Tynside (W2, D1).
- All four of Callum Wilson’s shots for Newcastle in their opening two league games of this season were on target.
- Liverpool have conceded in each of their last four league games (W1, D3).
Prediction
Full of belief after their opening win against Aston Villa, Newcastle will of been disappointed to have not got anything at Man City last weekend but they just lacked end product amidst a costly drop of defensive focus in the first half but City has been Newcastle’s hoodoo for years though.
Liverpool meanwhile were a defensive mess at times in their comeback win over Bournemouth so there has to be a huge improvement because Newcastle won’t be as wasteful as the Cherries were, yet a clinical attack proved key and I will expect them to be even stronger here.
Newcastle’s home form though is extremely strong so the first goal will be key because if Newcastle can get ahead, I fancy them to have the edge here if they can target Liverpool’s vulnerable defence aggressively with a clinical end product.
Should Liverpool however take the lead, I wouldn’t be sure of a win given their defensive issues and a draw otherwise might be the best guess.
Prediction: Newcastle 1-1 Liverpool
Result: Newcastle 1-2 Liverpool
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