Newcastle vs. Liverpool
Venue: St James’ Park
Kick off: 4:30PM
Liverpool head to St James’ Park on Sunday (today) for a reunion with former boss Rafael Benitez, who is now aiming to keep Newcastle United in top-half contention in the Premier League.
The Reds have had a mixed start to the league campaign, having won half of their six games thus far, and this result will go a long way to determining the mood around Anfield during the upcoming two-week break.
Like Liverpool, Newcastle have themselves experienced up-and-down emotions during the opening couple of months of the seasons after winning three and losing four of their games.
A three-match losing run was followed up by three victories on the bounce, leading to Benitez joking that Champions League football was now the target, but a 1-0 loss at Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend has left them feeling flat once more.
Still, nine points from their first six games back at this level is far from a disastrous record, and the Magpies have also turned their home into something of a fortress thanks to just two defeats on Tyneside in 15 league outings.
Ten of those matches here have ended in victory, too, including back-to-back triumphs over West Ham United and Stoke City, but United have not won three of their first four home Premier League games in more than a decade.
The biggest problem facing Klopp on the face of it is his side’s inability to defend, shipping 11 goals already in the Premier League this season – the joint-fifth worst record in the entire division.
Ten of those goals have come on their travels, giving them their worst-ever such record from their opening three away games, with half being conceded in the 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City immediately after the international break.
Since putting four past Arsenal in a scintillating display, the Reds have won once in six outings and scored a pretty disappointing – by their standards, at least – seven goals in the process.
Newcastle United possible XI: Elliot, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Mbemba, Hayden, Merino, Ritchie, Perez, Atsu, Joselu.
Liverpool possible XI: Mignolet, Gomez, Matip, Klavan, Robertson, Can, Henderson, Coutinho, Salah, Sturridge, Mane.