Newcastle United will host Liverpool at St. James’ Park on Wednesday, looking to get back to winning ways and get their season back on track.
Newcastle United have failed to win their last two Premier League games, and they will be desperate for a victory vs Liverpool on Wednesday. The Magpies will be hoping to secure UEFA Champions League qualification this season, and they cannot afford to keep dropping points.
The home side are 11th in the Premier League table, and the home fans will expect a strong performance from the players. Meanwhile, Liverpool are in exceptional form right now, and they are coming into this game on the back of six consecutive victories in all competitions.
The Reds are nine points clear at the top of the league table, and they will look to extend the gap with their rivals. Liverpool have an impressive record vs Newcastle United, and it remains to be seen whether they can extend that run of form here. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Newcastle United
Newcastle United will be without Emil Krafth due to a shoulder injury, while Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles are out with knee injuries. The Magpies will shape up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Nick Pope in goal.
Valentino Livramento and Lewis Hall will start as the full-backs. They will look to keep things tight at the back and help out during transitions. Lloyd Kelly will start at the heart of the defence alongside Fabian Schar.
As for the midfield unit, Bruno Guimaraes will start alongside Sandro Tonali and Joelinton in the middle of the park. Tonali will look to win the ball back for his side, while Guimaraes and Joelinton will add creativity and drive to the side. Alexander Isak will lead the line for Newcastle United vs Liverpool, with Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon on either side of him.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pope; Livramento, Schar, Kelly, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Gordon
Liverpool
Liverpool will be without Alisson Becker due to a hamstring injury vs Newcastle United, while Diogo Jota has an abdominal injury. Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate picked up hamstring and knee injuries, respectively, against Real Madrid, and they will miss out as well.
Liverpool are likely to shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Newcastle United, with Caoimhin Kelleher in goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson will start as the full-backs, and they will look to help out at both ends of the pitch. Joe Gomez will start alongside Virgil van Dijk in the central defensive pairing.
As for the midfield unit, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch will add defensive cover, composure and control to the side in the double pivot. Curtis Jones will look to create goalscoring opportunities in the final third. Finally, Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz will add pace, flair and goals from the wide areas. Darwin Nunez will lead the line for Liverpool here.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Jones, Diaz; Nunez
Key Stats
- Liverpool have won their last six matches against Newcastle United.
- Liverpool have picked up eight wins from the last nine Premier League matches.
- Liverpool have scored at least twice in their last six Premier League matches.
- 19 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two sides.
- Newcastle have picked up just two wins from the last six Premier League matches.
Player to Watch
Mohamed Salah
The Egyptian international is our key player to watch out for. The 32-year-old has been exceptional for Liverpool this season, and he has 11 goals and seven assists in 13 league matches. Salah has picked up seven goals and six assists in his last ten outings. He picked up a goal and assist in his last outing against Manchester City, and he will be full of confidence here.
The Liverpool talisman will look to create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates, and he will look to add to his goal tally for the season as well. He could make a huge impact for Liverpool in the final third, and the visitors, amid concerns surrounding his future, will need him to step up and deliver if they want to grind out a victory.
Prediction
Newcastle United 2-2 Liverpool
Matches between these two sides are often packed with goals, and this one is unlikely to be any different. Both teams will be desperate for a win, and neither side are likely to take up a defensive approach. A fair few goals could be on the cards here, but it will be difficult to separate the two teams.
Newcastle United have most of their key players fit and ready for this game, and they will be desperate to grind out a good result vs Liverpool. The two sides are likely to cancel each other out in a 2-2 draw.
