Newcastle United vs Liverpool

St James’ Park forms the backdrop for a mammoth, heavyweight Premier League showdown between Newcastle United and Liverpool.

Newcastle United’s bid to replicate last season’s outstanding top-four finish couldn’t have started better as they humbled Aston Villa 5-1 on home turf on day one. But reigning champions Manchester City gave Eddie Howe’s side an awakening last weekend, beating them 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium. That result puts the ‘Magpies’ at risk of losing back-to-back league matches for only the second time in 16 months. Ominously for the St James’ Park faithful, the last time they collapsed twice in a row, none other than Man City and Liverpool got the better of Newcastle. The hosts slipped to a 2-0 loss in this corresponding fixture in February, making it three consecutive top-flight home H2Hs without scoring (D1, L2). What’s worse for Newcastle is that they’ve not won any of their last six home league matches against Liverpool (D2, L4).

Meanwhile, Liverpool spurned an early lead in a 1-1 draw at Chelsea on matchday one, but they came from behind to beat Bournemouth 3-1 at home last time out. After falling short of a top-four finish for the first time since his maiden season at Anfield in 2022/23, Jurgen Klopp will be eager to inflict his revenge on Newcastle, a side he has secured a league double over in the past two seasons. There’s plenty of reason for optimism in the visiting camp, as the ‘Reds’ head into proceedings carrying the longest ongoing unbeaten run in the Premier League (W8, D5). That’s not to mention Klopp has defeated his Newcastle counterpart Howe in 12 of their previous 14 managerial clashes (D1, L1).