Liverpool will travel to Newcastle United for their next Premier League game on Saturday evening and they will be desperate to pick up all three points.
The Reds are still in with a chance of finishing in the top four and securing Champions League qualification. However, they cannot afford to draw points in this game. Jurgen Klopp’s side will have to beat Newcastle in order to stay in the top-four race and it remains to be seen whether the Reds can step up and produce a match-winning performance here.
Liverpool picked up a morale-boosting win in the Merseyside Derby last time out and they will be fairly confident heading into this contest.
Meanwhile, Newcastle are fourth in the league table and they have failed to win 5 of their last 6 league matches. Although the Magpies are unbeaten in that time, they will not want to keep dropping points at a crucial stage in the season.
Newcastle have lost just once this season and the defeat came away to Liverpool earlier on in the season. The Magpies will be looking to avenge that defeat here and dent Liverpool’s top-four hopes.
Tomorrow: A trip to St. James' Park 🛣#NEWLIV pic.twitter.com/hBVskEYLmN
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 17, 2023
Team News and Tactics
Newcastle United
The home team will be without the services of Javier Manquillo, Matt Targett, Emil Krafth, and Joe Willock because of injuries. Bruno Guimaraes is suspended and he is set to miss out as well.
Eddie Howe is likely to field his side in a 4-3-3 formation with Nick Pope in goal.
Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn are likely to be deployed as the full-backs and they will look to add creativity from the wide areas and protect the central defenders.
Fabian Schar will partner Sven Botman at the heart of Newcastle’s defence. In the midfield three, Miguel Almiron, Sean Longstaff, and Joelinton will look to control the proceedings. Longstaff will be hoping to break up the Liverpool play and the other two will look to add creativity and flair.
January signing Anthony Gordon could be handed a start here as the right-sided winger. Allan Saint-Maximin will reprise his role as the left winger and Alexander Isak is set to lead the line for Newcastle.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Almiron, Longstaff, Joelinton; Saint-Maximin, Isak, Gordon
Liverpool
The Reds will be without the services of Thiago Alcantara, Luis Diaz, Arthur Melo, and Ibrahima Konate because of injuries.
Jurgen Klopp is likely to persist with his 4-3-3 formation with Alisson Becker in goal.
Trent Alexander Arnold and Andrew Robertson were excellent against Everton and they will look at creativity and width during transitions. Joel Matip will partner with Virgil Van Dijk at the heart of the Liverpool defence.
.@VirgilvDijk could return to Liverpool's starting line-up on Saturday for the encounter at Newcastle United, Jürgen Klopp confirmed:
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 17, 2023
Brazilian midfielder Fabinho will look to anchor the Liverpool midfield and break up the Newcastle play.
Youngster Stefan Bajcetic was outstanding against Everton and he will look to provide defensive cover to the Liverpool midfield alongside the captain Jordan Henderson.
Cody Gakpo will lead the line after a goal-scoring display against Everton with Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah on either side of him.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Bajcetic; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez
Key Stats
- Newcastle are undefeated in their last 17 matches (Premier League).
- Liverpool have won 8 of their last 10 matches against Newcastle in all competitions.
- Newcastle have drawn 5 of their last 6 matches (Premier League).
- Both teams have scored in 4 of the last 6 matches between these two teams.
Player to watch
Stefan Bajcetic
Your @StanChart Player of the Month for January 🏆
Congratulations, Stefan 👏 pic.twitter.com/nFx325o6Bu
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 16, 2023
The talented young midfielder has established himself as a key player for Liverpool this season and he was recently chosen as the club’s player of the month.
Bajcetic has been excellent for Liverpool in the middle of the park and he will be crucial to their hopes of controlling the midfield against Newcastle. The 18-year-old Spaniard is our man to watch against Newcastle.
Prediction
Newcastle 1-1 Liverpool
Both teams will be desperate to pick up all three points with Champions League qualification at stake.
Dropping points against each other could prove to be a catastrophic blow and this is likely to be a closely fought affair.
Both teams have a number of key players missing through injury and they are likely to cancel each other out in the end. The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 draw between Newcastle and Liverpool.