Prediction: Liverpool vs Newcastle

Verdict: Home win and total goals over 2.5

Best odds: 14/17

Bookmaker: BetUS

The Premier League schedule on New Year’s Day 2024 brings a showdown in the North as Liverpool welcome Newcastle United to Anfield.

Liverpool aim to maintain their position at the top of the table after securing a 2-0 victory against Burnley on Boxing Day. Meanwhile, Newcastle suffered a 3-1 defeat at home against Nottingham Forest in their recent fixture.

The last meeting of these teams ended with an unlikely 2-1 victory for Liverpool at St. James’ Park, with the Merseysiders coming back from a goal down to win with 10 men, courtesy of a Darwin Nunez brace.

Liverpool

Liverpool’s encounter against then-leaders Arsenal on December 23rd showcased a theme of missed opportunities, echoed in their performance against Burnley. Darwin Nunez’s remarkable goal put Jurgen Klopp’s team in the lead. Despite several chances and two disallowed goals for the Reds, Vincent Kompany’s side couldn’t capitalize. Diogo Jota sealed Liverpool’s victory with a 90th-minute goal.

Controversial decisions played a role as Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott had their strikes disallowed, the latter labeled “insane” by Klopp, as Mohamed Salah was deemed offside while impacting the ability of Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford to react. With Arsenal stumbling against West Ham United, Liverpool climbed to the top of the table.

The fight for the top spot continued, with Arsenal seeking a return to the summit by facing Fulham before Aston Villa’s ambitious win against Burnley, but the Gunners were defeated again at Craven Cottage on Sunday. Liverpool’s recent draw at Anfield has slightly dampened their home dominance, but their New Year’s Day record remains impressive, having not suffered defeat since 2005, with four wins and a draw in their last five fixtures.

Team News

Liverpool enters the new year with a significant list of injured players, including Kostas Tsimikas (collarbone), Ben Doak (knee), Joel Matip (knee), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Thiago Alcantara (hip), and Andrew Robertson (shoulder) who won’t be available for Monday’s game.

Alexis Mac Allister is undergoing assessment for a knee injury and might make it to the matchday squad if his recovery allows, although a starting position seems unlikely at this stage.

Wataru Endo’s excellent performances in December suggest a probable continuation in the defensive midfield position for the upcoming game. However, recalls are anticipated for Dominik Szoboszlai, Ibrahima Konate, and Luis Diaz after their absence from the starting lineup against Burnley.

Newcastle United

It’s a dire situation for Newcastle, who faced another defeat against Nottingham Forest, marking their sixth loss in seven games in all competitions, including a Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Chelsea on penalties. Despite Alexander Isak’s opening goal from the penalty spot, former Magpie Chris Wood’s hat-trick sealed a stunning victory for Nottingham Forest, silencing the stadium he once called home and adding to Newcastle’s woes.

Apart from their home victories against Manchester United and Fulham, December didn’t bring much joy for Newcastle. They currently occupy ninth place in the league, although they can’t slip further down the standings at this stage.

While the fixture list may appear less daunting following their early exit from Europe, upcoming matches against Aston Villa and Manchester City, along with an intriguing FA Cup third-round clash against local rivals Sunderland, await Eddie Howe’s side this month.

Before looking ahead to the Tyne-Wear derby, Newcastle must first aim to end their dismal four-game losing streak on the road, with Anfield being the venue where they suffered a late defeat last season and a Nunez-inspired comeback loss in August at St. James’ Park.

Team News

Newcastle’s injury list has slightly shortened, but eight players are still unavailable due to injury concerns. Additionally, Sandro Tonali is serving the remainder of his betting ban, which extends until the first eight months of 2024.

Nick Pope (shoulder), Jacob Murphy (shoulder), Harvey Barnes (foot), Jamaal Lascelles (groin), Elliot Anderson (back), Javi Manquillo (groin), Joe Willock (calf), and Matt Targett (thigh) remain sidelined. However, Joelinton has been declared fit and made it to the bench on Boxing Day after recovering from his hamstring issue.

Joelinton might challenge Sean Longstaff’s spot in the starting lineup, especially considering the impressive performances of Lewis Miley. Manager Eddie Howe might also consider bringing in Tino Livramento instead of Dan Burn, although Burn’s physicality could be useful against someone like Virgil van Dijk.

Conclusion

Liverpool’s remarkable history against Newcastle includes ten instances of them coming from behind to secure victories in the Premier League against this opponent, a record unmatched in any other fixture in the competition’s history. However, the hosts might not need such dramatic comebacks on Monday.

While Liverpool have had some challenges converting chances into goals, facing an out-of-form Newcastle team struggling to secure points away from home should position the league leaders well to start 2024 on a positive note.

Verdict: Home win and total goals over 2.5

Best odds: 14/17

Bookmaker: BetUS