When Newcastle United and Liverpool meet on Wednesday night at Anfield, it will be a clash of clubs looking to build momentum in the early season. The Magpies are coming off a 1-1 away draw at Wolverhampton, while Liverpool just thrashed newly promoted side Bournemouth 9-0 for their first win of the season.
Coming away with three points will not be easy for the Reds this week as Newcastle enters Week 5 of the season unbeaten with 1 win and 3 draws. Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp certainly respects what Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has accomplished so far in his tenure.
“Since Eddie is there, they obviously got an awful lot of points,” Klopp said. “They played a really good second part of the season. I don't know exactly when Eddie started, but since he is there, they played really, really stable. Difficult for us to play against. Yes, they are a threat.”
Talking Points for Week 5
Newcastle is a much-improved side after a managerial change in the middle of last season, so the Reds will have to be in top form and not take the opposition lightly. The Magpie's top striker is Callum Wilson. The English striker is the club's top returning scorer with 8 goals last year, and he has already bagged two this season. His status for the match remains uncertain due to injury, however. If Wilson can not give it a go, that would be a huge blow to the away side. They would likely have to play a more defensive formation and hope for a draw, something they have been good at all year,
As for Liverpool, they are not expecting to score 9 goals again, but Klopp says he would like them to keep the same form. Curtis Jones and Joel Matip were able to return to training this week but it remains to be seen if they will see any time on the pitch. Darwin Núñez will be serving the final game of his red card suspension, so I would expect the Starting XI to be very similar to the last match. However, the bench will have fewer options as Sepp Van den Berg was sent on loan to Schalke of the German Bundesliga. The starters may have to play extended minutes as a result.
Shutting up the Magpies
In nature, the magpie is famous for being one of the noisiest birds on the planet. The same can be said of their footballing counterparts from Newcastle. The club has made a lot of noise in the league since the middle of last season, gaining respect from coaches and media alike. They are off to an unbeaten start this year with a trio of draws thrown into the mix. A similar result at Anfield would keep Newcastle squarely in the media spotlight as a club on the rise. Liverpool needs to do their best to keep that from happening, continuing to stoke the momentum they gained from the last match.
LFC Globe Verdict
Keep the train moving. Liverpool got a huge win last week and they need another one to keep moving up the table. It will not be easy as Newcastle have been a much-improved side over past years. The Magpies, like Liverpool, have injury issues, and the Reds need to take advantage of it. Even the most ardent Liverpool supporter is probably not expecting a 9-0 scoreline again this week and neither am I. Newcastle is a strong defensive side with some offensive punch if Callum Wilson can play. Either way though, I think Liverpool should be two goals to the good, winning 3-1.
Where To Watch
Kickoff is set for 20:00 BST (15:00 EST) and can be seen on BT Sport in the UK. and The USA Network in the United States. A Spanish Broadcast is also available to American audiences on Universo.