Liverpool vs Newcastle: Preview and Prediction

Liverpool look for their fourth straight win when they host relegation candidates Newcastle United on Saturday evening.

The Reds are coming on the back of an excellent 4-0 derby win on Everton and their recent rise in form gives a lot for the fans to cheer for. A win here will put them ahead of West Ham United to sixth position. However, they have no real chance of moving inside the top four.

Newcastle are handed a lifeline after the win against Swansea and the draw against a strong Manchester City. The Magpies are desperate for a win here to move out from the relegation zone.

Form Guide

• Liverpool are on a three match winning run in the Premier League and are unbeaten in the last four.
• The Reds tasted defeat just once in their last 9 league matches.
• At home, Liverpool are unbeaten in their last five matches with 3 wins and 2 draws. They have lost only once in the last 10 matches at Anfield.
• Liverpool have scored 4 goals each in their last two home games.
• Newcastle are unbeaten in their last two games, ending their bad run of 7 match win-less steak. However, both results have come at home.
• The Magpies are have lost in all of their last 9 matches away from home.

 Liverpool: Team News

The Reds have eight players on confirmed injury list, who will miss the clash against Newcastle.

Divock Orgi is the latest to join the list after sustaining a knock in the 4-0 humbling of Everton on Wednesday. With Christian Benteke and Danny Ings already on the treatment table, Daniel Sturridge is the only genuine striker avaialable and he is expected to lead the attacking front.

Emre Can, Marin Skrtel, Joe Gomez, Jordan Henderson and Jordan Rossiter are sidelined, this may bring the youngsters like Kevin Stewart, Danny Ward, Brad Smith, Connor Randall and Sheyi Ojo into contestion.

Klopp is likely to rotate the squad heavily with the Europa League trip to Villarreal in mind.

Liverpool: Predicted Line-up (4-2-3-1)

Mignolet,
Smith, Toure, Leiva, Randall,
Allen, Stewart,
Ojo, Firmino, Ibe,
Sturridge.

Newcastle: Team News

Rafa Benitez has no fresh injury concerns, but key players like Fabricio Coloccini, Daryl Janmaat, Rob Elliot and Mossadio Haidara are all sidelined.

Aleksandar Mitrovic and Georginio Wijnaldum are expected to come back to the starting line-up, while Jonjo Shelvy misses out once again.

Newcastle: Starting Line-up (4-2-3-1)

Darlow,
Dummet, Mbemba, Lascelles, Anita
Colback, Tiote,
Wijnaldum, Sissoko, Townsend,
Mitrovic.

Liverpool vs Newcastle: Head-to-Head

The teams won 2 matches each from the last 5 meetings in Premier League, with one match ending in a draw.

Liverpool are unbeaten in the last 20 matches against Newcastle United in the English Premier League, with 17 wins and 3 draws. The Reds last lost to Newcastle at home on April 1994.

Liverpool vs Newcastle: Prediction

Liverpool’s focus will be on the mid-week Europa League semi-final tie against Villarreal and Klopp is likely to draw in a lot of youngsters into the starting line-up. Newcastle will be desperate for a win and they are expected to come in good confidence following a morale boosting draw against Manchester City.

A weekend Liverpool side against a Newcastle side high on confidence is what we will witness on Saturday evening. The Magpies haven’t won in 20 visits to Anfield, but they have a good chance of coming out with something from this match.

The visitors are expected to frustrate the Reds and a draw is very likely on Saturday.