Newcastle United vs Liverpool

Liverpool’s bid to overturn a one-point deficit on Premier League pacesetters Manchester City faces another daunting task as they head to St James’ Park to take on high-flying Newcastle United.

Newcastle United have gone from one of the warmest relegation candidates to genuine top-half contenders following an impressive 2022, where they’ve lost just three of their 15 Premier League matches (W10, D3). Coming into this matchday, Eddie Howe’s men have won six consecutive Premier League fixtures at St James’ Park for the first time since 2004, suggesting they won’t be spectators this weekend. With five of those six victories yielding a narrow one-goal margin, the Tyneside faithful could witness another nail-biting contest. Adding to Newcastle’s confidence, they’ve kept a clean sheet in three of their five previous home league outings. However, the ‘Magpies’ are winless in their last four home top-flight meetings with Liverpool (D2, L2) and could make it five in a row without winning for the first time since 1969.

In the meantime, Liverpool head into proceedings in high spirits following a comfortable 2-0 home win over Villarreal in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie, taking their unbeaten run in all competitions to 11 matches (W9, D1). Indeed, Jurgen Klopp’s men are unbeaten in their last 14 Premier League games (W12, D2), including back-to-back triumphs over Everton and Manchester United by an aggregate score of 6-0. Moreover, the ‘Reds’ have not lost any of their six Premier League away matches in 2022 (W4, D2), netting precisely two goals in five of them. Home and away, the Merseyside giants have avoided defeat in their last ten top-flight encounters against Newcastle (W6, D4), including a 3-1 win in the reverse fixture at Anfield.