Sports
MATCH PREVIEW – Liverpool vs Newcastle: Howe’s side face difficult trip to Anfield amidst rise in Premier League covid cases

The Magpies travel to title contenders Liverpool on Thursday evening as the Premier League experiences rapid rise in Covid-19 cases following midweek testing.
Newcastle will be looking for an improved performance after their abysmal 4-0 defeat at the Foxes last time out. Howe’s side sit 19th in table with the joint-worst defensive record having shipped 34 goals in their 16 games so far this season.
Liverpool head into the midweek fixture looking to move within a point of league leaders Manchester City and claim their twelfth win of the season. The Reds came out 1-0 winners vin their previous two games and will be hoping to make it a more comfortable victory come 8pm.
Newcastle’s away form is the worst in the division, and the Mags have only found the net five times on the road. The trip to Liverpool represents their toughest fixture so far this season.
However, the visitors will be hoping for a respectable outcome on Thursday evening and are expected to set up in a defensive formation in an attempt to nullify the attacking threat of the home side.
Klopp’s Liverpool are unbeaten in each of their last nine games against the Magpies, who are winless in their last 25 visits to Anfield.
Newcastle did claim a surprise 1-1 draw at Anfield last term thanks to Joe Willock, who is yet to perform to the same level in the 2021-22 season. The visitors look to take hope from their last trip the Merseyside and will have to pull off a Christmas miracle to get anything out of the fixture this time round.
The home side have won seven consecutive games in all competitions and are unbeaten at Anfield this season, with the Magpies looking like the next side to fall short when they visit this evening.
Newcastle put in a particularly poor display last time out and had no answer for Leicester who despite facing a covid outbreak, had far too much for the Magpies and hit the back of the net four times with no reply.
The game comes as part of an extremely challenging festive period for the team from Tyneside, who face home games against both Manchester sides following their trip to Anfield, which could prove to be a nightmare before Christmas for manager Eddie Howe.
FORM
D D L D W L
W W W W W W
- The Magpies haven’t won away to Liverpool in the Premier League since 1993-94.
- Mohamed Salah has the perfect scoring record against Newcastle United at Anfield and has found the back of the net in all four home games against the Magpies.
- Newcastle have won just two of their last 14 midweek Premier League games, winning 4-1 at Bournemouth in July 2020 and 1-0 against Sheffield United in May last season.
TEAM NEWS
Newcastle defender Federico Fernandez faces an extended period out of the squad with a thigh injury (sustained in training) while Paul Dummet (hamstring) remains unavailable until 2022.
Midfielder Sean Longstaff is expected to return to the matochday squad having been left out of the trip to Leicester last Sunday. Ciaran Clark remains doubtful to start following his sending off against relegation rivals Norwich City just a few weeks ago.
Eddie Howe may revert to a more defensive formation in the visit to Liverpool given his sides woeful defensive record this season after conceding four more goals in their last away game.
For Liverpool, Brazilian fan-favourite Roberto Firmino returns to the squad following a period of six weeks on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury earlier in the season. Curtis Jones returns to the matchday squad after his eye injury but is thought to need a few more days to be back to full fitness and therefore is expected to be an unused substitute on Thursday evening.
Portuguese star Diogo Jota returns after a knock while injury time hero from Molineux, Divock Origi, is unavailable for the second game running with a knee problem. Klopp may consider changes before a meeting with Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, with Naby Keita, Kostas Tsimikas and Ibrahima Konate all in contention to start.
POTENTIAL LINE-UPs
NUFC: Liverpool:
:
Thoughts? Score predictions?
Who would make your starting eleven to face Liverpool? Can Howe’s side put in a decent performance? How will the Magpies get on in the festive period?
Join in the conversation and have your say…
Featured
Sunderland AFC has announced the departure of Head Coach Tony Mowbray

The Club expressed gratitude to Tony and his assistant Mark Venus for their positive contributions over the past two seasons, stating that they will always be welcome back at the Stadium of Light and wishing them success in their future endeavors.
Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman praised Tony’s impact, acknowledging his high regard among players, staff, and supporters. Speakman highlighted Mowbray’s role in guiding the team to the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs and his significant contribution to team development. He emphasized that while a difficult decision, it aligns with the club’s ambition and strategy.
Emphasizing the commitment to their long-term strategy for sustainability and success, Chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus thanked Tony for his hard work and affirmed the club’s focus on implementing a high-performance culture and a strong playing identity.
The club reiterated the importance of fan support in their progress and invited supporters to the Stadium of Light during the festive period and into 2024.
During the interim period, Mike Dodds, supported by the existing coaching team, will oversee the first-team’s training and match preparations until the appointment of a new Head Coach is finalized.
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See our Interview with Newcastle United Youtuber Adam Pearson after he wound the Sunderland fans up following the news of the derby…
Click the image below to watch the video…
See the full video below…
See our thoughts on the draw….
We are supporting the Warm Christmas meal appeal – you can donate a warm Christmas meal to someone in need in Newcastle and the North East below..
Warm Christmas Meal Appeal North East – Help a Local Person in Need – NEoffers.co.uk
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Featured
Newcastle United Fans Attacked in Paris by PSG fans – Trapped in pub!

Footage tonight has emerged of PSG fans corning Newcastle United fans in a pub and attacking them in a scary video. This follows news that police had informed Newcastle fans that attacks were possible which lead to at least one pub having to close at 10pm due to this.
We don’t have any details on what happened after the video and this is a breaking news story, follow us on social media to stay fully up to date.
You can see the video here:
YouTube – North East Updates (follow channel for more – won’t open video unless you have an account and over 18) – https://youtube.com/shorts/Uo_2G1WEuWg
X (formally Twitter) https://x.com/SupportersNufc/status/1729269902056493085?s=20
Newcastle fans who would you like to see be brought in or who is most realistic – follow for all Newcastle United news – Newcastle Supporters Worldwide
There will be videos added tomorrow both before and after the PGS game on the North East Updates Youtube channel – follow the channel to stay fully up to date and see below for previous NUFC vs PSG videos…
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PSG Fans arrive at Newcastle Upon Tyne and are met by Newcastle United fans ahead of their Champions League tie (which ended in a 4-1 Newcastle United win). Newcastle Centre was on shut down with streets closed and everyone watching.
The footage is not live and IN FULL on our Youtube Channel you can see the footage below – let us know on the comments on the video what your thoughts are on it….
We rather foolishly spoke to both NUFC and PSG fans after the game – we had to stop filming the interviewing of the PSG fans due to safety concerns see both videos below…
Follow our YouTube for some big local videos and to support us!
You can now download our FREE new app to stay fully up to date with all North East related news – https://linktr.ee/northeastupdates
We are supporting the Warm Christmas meal appeal – you can donate a warm Christmas meal to someone in need in Newcastle and the North East below..
Warm Christmas Meal Appeal North East – Help a Local Person in Need – NEoffers.co.uk
News
The Players Newcastle United could/should sign from Saudi

Newcastle United has received a green light to pursue players from the Saudi Pro League after a proposed Premier League vote to restrict loan moves between clubs with shared owners fell short of the required support. This decision opens up possibilities for Newcastle to strengthen their squad in January, targeting talents from clubs linked with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Despite initial discussions to potentially bar such transfers, the recent vote outcome has cleared the way for Newcastle to explore signings.
See our video and reaction below and follow our YouTube for more local videos..
A recent meeting among the Premier League’s 20 clubs concluded without the necessary majority support to impose a ban on loan transfers between co-owned clubs. While 13 teams voted in favor of the prohibition, the requirement of 14 votes for approval was not met, granting Newcastle the liberty to pursue players from the Saudi Pro League.
This development particularly benefits Newcastle’s pursuit of Al Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves, whom they’ve eyed as a potential replacement for Sandro Tonali. Neves, despite significant interest from the Premier League, is expected to remain with Al Hilal during the upcoming January transfer window. The Athletic’s David Ornstein reports that despite ongoing speculation, Neves is content and settled at Al Hilal, playing a pivotal role within the team. His projected stay until the season’s end indicates his commitment to Al Hilal’s cause, especially crucial following Neymar’s injury.
Although ties between Newcastle and Al Hilal, sharing the same majority shareholder in Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), sparked concerns about potential rule changes, as of now, no alterations have been enforced. Speculation regarding a Premier League vote to block such moves in the winter market hasn’t materialized into action. Consequently, Neves looks set to continue his journey with Al Hilal, with no reported negotiations or approaches from interested parties.
Al Hilal’s impressive position atop the Saudi Pro League standings, coupled with their progress in tournaments like the AFC Champions League and the King’s Cup, further solidifies Neves’ integral role within the team. Their dominance, evident in their substantial lead over second-place Al Nassr, underscores their strength even with the latter boasting talents like Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ultimately, Newcastle’s access to the Saudi Pro League remains unimpeded, potentially paving the way for significant acquisitions in the upcoming transfer window.
Al-Hilal
- Ruben Neves
- Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
- Aleksandr Mitrovic
Al-Nassr
- Seko Fofana
- Marcelo Brozovic
- Aymeric Laporte
Al-Ittihad
- N’Golo Kante
- Fabinho
- Jota
Al-Ahly
- Franck Kessie
- Gabri Veiga
- Riyad Mahrez
Newcastle fans who would you like to see be brought in or who is most realistic – follow for all Newcastle United news – Newcastle Supporters Worldwide
Follow our YouTube for some big local videos and to support us!
You can now download our FREE new app to stay fully up to date with all North East related news – https://linktr.ee/northeastupdates
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