Reds’ Rampage: Can Newcastle Weather the Anfield Storm?
The English Premier League matchup between Liverpool and Newcastle is certainly going to be interesting, as Liverpool has the chance to increase their points lead and stay on top of the table. Newcastle, meanwhile, has been struggling and things won’t get any easier against a formidable side such as Liverpool.
Match Details
This exciting matchup in the EPL will take place on Monday, January 1st, with a kick-off time of 20:00. The game will be held in Liverpool’s home stadium, Anfield, but Newcastle fans will make the trek to support their team.
Team News
Liverpool will be without a few of their main rotation players, although most of their stars will be ready for the match with Newcastle. Out with injury will be Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara, Andrew Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister, Konstantinos Tsimikas, and Stefan Bajcetic Maquieira. Allister is perhaps the only one on the list who could possibly make a return, but it’ll be a match-time decision.
Newcastle’s injury list to beginning to mount up, as several key names are hurt, including Nick Pope, Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes, Joseph Willock, Elliot Anderson, Jamaal Lascelles, Javier Manquillo, and Matt Targett. Sandro Tonali is suspended and a return date hasn’t been confirmed.
Recent Form
Liverpool is currently at the top of the league table with 42 points, but Arsenal is incredibly close behind them with 40 points, so every win counts. Liverpool hasn’t lost a game for a while, with their last five games including three wins and two draws. Their most recent matchup was a 2-0 victory against Burnley.
Newcastle, on the other hand, has dropped to 8th place on the table and has four losses and one win in their last five matchups. Their most recent game was a surprise 1-3 loss to Nottingham Forest.
Head-to-Head
Newcastle rarely matches up well against Liverpool, and in fact, Liverpool has won the last five games very convincingly. The last time these teams played was a 2-1 victory to Liverpool on August 27th, 2023.
Key Players to Watch
Liverpool will be counting heavily on their top goal-scorer, Mohamed Salah, to deliver a great performance that results in a win. Salah has been solid with 12 goals in 19 matches, and his last goal was in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal recently. Nunez and Jota will need to chip in a bit more, as they are far behind with 5 goals each. Salah is an important passer, too, with 8 useful assists.
Newcastle is still waiting for a star player to emerge, but they’ve had decent games from the likes of Isak (8 goals) and Wilson (7 goals). Trippier is helping with 7 assists, but it’s a big question if that’s enough to beat Liverpool.
Tactical Overview
Liverpool’s strategy is based on a relentless and aggressive pressing style. Shortly after conceding the football, Liverpool’s players apply a quick, hard press on the opponent, which assists in breaking up the other side’s momentum.
Predictions
Right now, Liverpool is the clear favourite to win with odds of 9/20, a draw at 10/3, and a Newcastle victory at 6/1. The Anytime Goalscorer bet is safest with Mohamed Salah with odds of 10/11. Experts rate Liverpool’s chances to win at 66%, then Newcastle at 15%, and a draw at 19%. The over/under for goals scored is marked at 3.5.
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