Liverpool will look to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table with a win over Newcastle United on Monday night.
Liverpool and Newcastle United will be desperate to pick up all three points for very different reasons. The Reds are on an unbeaten run in the Premier League, and they will look to continue their impressive run of form.
On the other hand, Newcastle United have lost four of the last five League matches, and Eddie Howe is under tremendous pressure. His job is on the line, and Newcastle will have to grind out a positive result here. The Magpies will be desperate for Champions League qualification, and they cannot afford to keep dropping points if they want to finish in the top four.
Matches between these two sides are often quite evenly matched, and this one promises to be another cracking affair. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Liverpool
Liverpool will be without the services of Joel Matip, Andrew Robertson, Stefan Bajcetic, and Kostas Tsimikas. Matip is ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with ligament damage. Robertson is still recovering from his shoulder surgery, Tsimikas picked up a collarbone injury against Arsenal, and Bajcetic remains a long-term absentee as well.
Thiago Alcantara and Alexis Mac Allister have resumed training, but they are unlikely to be risked here. Liverpool are likely to shape up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Alisson Becker in goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez are likely to be deployed as the full-backs. They will look to help out at both ends of the pitch.
Virgil van Dijk will start alongside Ibrahima Konate at the heart of the defence. In the midfield three, Wataru Endo will start as the defensive midfielder, and he will look to break up opposition attacks. Dominik Szoboszlai and Harvey Elliott will start alongside him and the two players will look to add creativity and drive to the Liverpool midfield.
Diogo Jota could lead the line for Liverpool against Newcastle United after finding the back of the net in his last outing. Mohamed Salah will start on the right, with Darwin Nunez on the left for the home side.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, van Dijk, Konate, Gomez; Szoboszlai, Endo, Elliott; Salah, Jota, Nunez
Newcastle United
The away side have several absentees heading into Anfield next week, and they will be without first-choice goalkeeper Nick Pope. Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes, Joe Willock, Elliot Anderson, Jamaal Lascelles, Javier Manquillo, and Matt Targett are all injured. Sandro Tonali remains suspended.
Newcastle United are likely to shape up in a 4-3-3 formation against Liverpool, with Martin Dubravka in goal. Kieran Trippier and Tino Livramento will start as the full-backs. They will look to protect the central defenders and help out during counter-attacks. Fabian Schar will start in the heart of the defence alongside Sven Botman.
Bruno Guimaraes will start in the middle of the park, and he will look to add creativity and defensive cover to the side. Joelinton and Lewis Miley will start alongside him. Callum Wilson is set to lead the line for Newcastle United against Liverpool, with Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon starting in the wide areas.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Livramento; Miley, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Gordon, Wilson, Isak
Key Stats
- Liverpool have scored at least two goals in eight of their last nine home matches against Newcastle in all competitions.
- Liverpool are undefeated in their last 12 matches in the Premier League.
- Liverpool are undefeated in their last 23 home matches against Newcastle United in all competitions.
- 15 goals have been scored in the last six meetings between these two teams.
- Newcastle have conceded 11 goals in their last six matches across all competitions.
Player to Watch
Mohamed Salah
The Liverpool talisman is our key player to watch out for. The 31-year-old is in fine form, and he has six goals and three assists in his last ten appearances across all competitions. He has picked up 12 goals and seven assists in the Premier League so far, and the Egyptian will look to trouble Newcastle United with his goalscoring ability and creativity in the final third.
Prediction
Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle United
Liverpool are undoubtedly the better team on paper, and they should be able to grind out all three points here. They will be full of confidence and momentum heading into this game, and they should be able to pile further misery on a struggling Newcastle side.
The Magpies have picked up just one win from the last five league matches, and they are winless in the last six meetings against Liverpool. They will need a major slice of luck to get something out of this contest. A narrow home win is on the cards.