• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Can Newcastle survive Liverpool onslaught?

liverpool

liverpool

Newcastle United go in search of their third Premier League win of the season when they host a rejuvenated Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side at St. James’ Park later today.

It is a must-win for Newcastle United and Steve McClaren after a couple disappointing results, which see them back in the relegation zone.

They will have probably wanted another opponent this weekend, considering Liverpool’s record on the road under Jurgen Klopp.

The Reds have scored 14 goals in their last four away games in all competitions and head to the North East having won seven of their last eight, and will hoping to continue the winning form after getting through the most hazardous set of away fixtures to start the season that they could have wished for.

McClaren’s side have a long list of injuries, in particular defenders, which is not ideal as they have managed to concede the most goals in Premier League along with Bournemouth.

Klopp seems to have good selection problems as all three of his available strikers have found the back of the net recently, and Philippe Coutinho could return to the side having not been risked recently because of a hamstring injury – but he is without Emre Can, who is suspended following his fifth booking of the season in the emphatic 6-1 League Cup win over Southampton.

Newcastle

Newcastle’s manager acknowledges he is in the dark about his precarious looking future on Tyneside and is unlikely to be cheered by memories of the last time he met Klopp. In 2011 a Bundesliga win for the German’s Dortmund side at McClaren’s Wolfsburg proved the Englishman’s penultimate game in charge before his sacking. Louise Taylor

Less pragmatic Liverpool fans could quite easily be forgiven for getting carried away in the wake of their 6-1 Capital One Cup victory against Southampton.

After three successive draws, the much-awaited revival has taken place and the Anfield side have triumphed in all but one of their last eight fixtures.

Wednesday’s south coast success was their third high-scoring domestic away win in a row against good-quality foes, after beating Chelsea 3-1 and Manchester City 4-1.

Unfortunately for long-suffering Newcastle, they are hosting rather than visiting the resurgent Reds this weekend, giving their own long-suffering fans cause for trepidation.

Only their solid record against Liverpool at St James’ Park since returning to the Premier League can offer hope against hope.

Verdict

Seasoned travelling Liverpool fans will have heady memories of the 6-0 win on Tyneside four seasons ago, achieved in the absence of Luis Suarez.

However, it is the only time Klopp’s side have won at St James’ Park since a similarly riotous 5-1 win in December 2008.

That might be enough to temper enthusiasm for backing another away win by a significant margin for the on-song visitors, were it not for the fact that the Magpies boast the division’s joint-worst defence.

Newcastle’s last two performances – 3-0 home loss to Leicester and a 5-1 away defeat to Crystal Palace – plumbed new depths of flakiness.

If Liverpool can strike early, the atmosphere around St James’ could turn distinctly mutinous, which will only aid the cause of visitors who must be buzzing with the joys of playing football again in the wake of recent results.

A win for the home side could see them climb out of the relegation zone, but if Liverpool take all three points, they could climb to fifth, and will be hoping that sides further ahead will drop points.

 

Anthony Nlebem