Can Newcastle kick-start their season against Liverpool?

Will Steve McClaren’s Newcastle team give him something to smile about against Liverpool on Sunday?

Newcastle host in-form Liverpool at St James Park on Sunday with the Magpies looking to move out of the relegation zone.

The side from the north east need to pick up a major result, it looks highly unlikely, but the Premier League has been so unpredictable this season you cannot write anybody off.

Another season of struggle

Not much has changed from last season at Newcastle, as I wrote about in one of my recent articles.

Boss Steve McClaren arrived in the summer and brought with him a plethora of new signings, yet the Magpies are still losing games and conceding goals.

It is like no matter what the Magpies do in recent months they cannot make an improvement on the pitch. For all the criticism of past bosses and owner Mike Ashley it’s the players who have to take the responsibility for Newcastle’s struggles in recent seasons.

Newcastle fans are loyal and deserve a better group of players to represent their team, because at the moment there are not many Magpies players who could say that they deserve to be starting in the Premier League at the moment.

Full of potential

The thing about Newcastle is they do have players with potential, but most are youngsters who can be mercurial at times. Summer arrival Aleksandar Mitrovic is a classic example of one of those players.

The Serbian international arrived from Anderlecht in the summer for big money and with a big reputation. He had been linked with a number of Europe’s biggest clubs after shining in the Belgian top-flight and the Champions League.

His signing was regarded as something of a coup. He does have talent, but at 21 years-old he needs time to develop that talent and Newcastle maybe do not have the time to wait for Mitrovic to fulfil his potential.

Spanish youngster Ayoze Perez is another young player that needs time to develop and fulfil his ability. He burst onto the scene last season at Newcastle and on his day he can be a major danger for opposition defences.

The 22-year-old seems to show flashes of his ability for the Magpies, like Mitrovic though he is unpredictable. Newcastle is depending on the youngsters to produce because Senegalese striker Papiss Cisse blows hot and cold.

The striker has scored goals in the Premier League, but he seems to have the attitude that he is not really bothered about whether his team wins or not. The youngsters at least show a willingness to work hard, even if Mitrovic’s passion often gets the better of him. I know who I would rather have in my team at the moment.

Up against it on Sunday

Newcastle faces a Liverpool side with their tails up, after the Reds 6-1 Capital One Cup win at Southampton on Wednesday night. The Magpies are odds of 19/4 to claim victory against Jurgen Klopp’s side, which on paper looks unlikely to happen.

Klopp and his heavy metal band head to the north east considered as outsiders for the Premier League title this season. It could hardly be a worse time to face the men from Merseyside.

The Magpies have the joint-worst defensive record in the top-flight and if results go against them could find themselves five points adrift from safety.

Boss Steve McClaren has experienced mixed fortunes in his managerial career. The former-England chief needs to find some sort of words of inspiration for a team devoid of confidence at the moment, or he could be under major pressure.

A Newcastle victory at St James Park on Sunday afternoon is almost unthinkable. However the nature of the Premier League this season you just never know what is going to happen.

Newcastle fans deserve a bit of cheer, because quite frankly the last 12 months have brought the Magpies fans nothing but misery from their team.

Something tells me that the Toon Army may well be waiting for Christmas cheer for another week though, because at the moment Liverpool look like they are ready to add to the Magpies woes.

Can Newcastle kick-start their season against Liverpool?