Liverpool meet Newcastle in a huge Premier League showdown in the race for European qualification.
Victory would lift Liverpool back up to fourth if Chelsea slip up at home to West Ham in the teatime kick-off, whilst Newcastle can climb above the Reds into sixth with a win.
Team News
Jeremie Frimpong is ruled out for Liverpool with a hamstring injury suffered during their 6-0 demolition of Qarabag in midweek Champions League action.
Curtis Jones is available after he missed the Qarabag game due to illness.
Ibrahima Konate (personal) could return but Joe Gomez (knock), Alex Isak (leg), Conor Bradley (knee) and Giovanni Leoni (ACL) remain absent.
Newcastle could welcome Bruno Guimaraes back after he sat out their last two matches with an ankle injury, despite having made the bench in their 1-1 draw at PSG due to his desire to be present with the matchday squad.
Emil Krafth (knee), Joelinton (groin), Tino Livramento (hamstring) and Fabian Schar (ankle) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Liverpool host Newcastle at Anfield on Saturday 31 January at 8pm GMT, live on TNT Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 18 league meetings against Newcastle (W13, D5).
- Newcastle have claimed only five points in their last 29 league visits to Anfield (D5, L24).
- Liverpool are winless in their last five league games (D4, L1).
- Newcastle have failed to score in three of their last four away league matches (W1, D1, L2).
Prediction
Despite their league woes this months, Liverpool have enjoyed success in the FA Cup and Champions League which included a ruthless demolition of Qarabag in the latter competition, so they now need to bring that momentum from midweek into this game and try to deliver another clinical display.
Newcastle meanwhile had a difficult task away at PSG and after a sloppy start saw them concede first after Nick Pope saved a harsh penalty, they did incredibly well to dig in defensively to grind out a deserved point with a clinical header in their only notable period of dominance.
They now need to bring more of that quality if want to replicate that kind of performance but if Liverpool turn up with the same intensity that they showcased against Qarabag, this will be an one-sided result.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle
Result: Liverpool 4-1 Newcastle
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