MY ACCOUNT
– Newcastle are unbeaten in 15 home matches across all competitions this season
– Liverpool have won just twice away from home in the league
– Recommended bet: Newcastle to win
With the EFL Cup final just over a week away for Newcastle, Eddie Howe will be eager for his side to cement their position in the top four of the Premier League with a victory over visiting Liverpool on Saturday evening.
The Magpies are enjoying a fantastic season but a league-high 11 draws is threatening to derail their quest for a return to the Champions League — a tournament they last featured in the group stages back in 2002-03.
Up next for Newcastle is the visit of Liverpool — the only team to have bested Howe’s troops in the league this term — and this could turn out to be an unusually tight affair between two clubs that have put on some entertaining spectacles over the years.
Team news
Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron and Joe Willock were all forced off through injury in Newcastle’s 1-1 draw at Bournemouth last time out, with the latter expected to be missing for a few weeks with a hamstring problem.
The news is better on both Saint-Maximin and Almiron, who are both expected to shake off issues to start, although January arrival Anthony Gordon is pushing for a place from the off and he could replace the Frenchman.
Midfield maestro Bruno Guimaraes serves the last of his three-game ban, meaning he will be back for the cup final against Manchester United, while Javier Manquillo, Emil Krafth and Matt Targett remain sidelined.
Striker Callum Wilson missed the trip to his former employers with a hamstring problem but he is expected to recover in time to bolster Newcastle’s attacking options, while club captain Jamaal Lascelles should also be back on the bench after missing out due to personal reasons last time out.
Liverpool’s treatment room is looking a lot better now following the returns of Diogo Jota, Virgil van Dijk and Roberto Firmino to the matchday squad against Everton, with the trio all pushing for starts.
Arthur is another that could potentially be in line to return this weekend after recovering from a thigh surgery, but Ibrahima Konate, Luis Diaz and Thiago Alcantara are all still absent.
The stats
Newcastle boast the meanest defence in the league — conceding a miserly 13 goals — while they have shipped a league-low six goals on home soil throughout the campaign.
The Magpies are on a 17-game unbeaten streak in the top flight and have only lost one of their 22 matches — that sole defeat coming at the hands of Liverpool when they conceded deep into second-half stoppage time at Anfield in August.
Liverpool have lost their last three away games in the league — conceding nine goals combined in those defeats to Brentford, Brighton and Wolves — while they have only won two out of 10 away games in the top flight.
The Reds have let in 19 goals from their 10 away assignments and their they have conceded in both matches they have won at Tottenham (2-1) and Aston Villa (3-1).
Egypt international Mohamed Salah needs just two more goals to draw level with Robbie Fowler (128) as the Reds’ top scorer in Premier League history.
Prediction
St James’ Park will be a hive of activity with the EFL Cup final to look forward to on February 26 and the vociferous home crowd will be hoping to spur Newcastle onto a massive three points in their last match before that trip to Wembley.
Although the Magpies have been held to 11 draws, they are still extremely difficult to break down and the fact they have only conceded six times on home soil highlights just how good they have been at the back.
Liverpool may have returned to winning ways last time out against Everton but they are not the same side from previous seasons and the away form has been a real issue for them, with just eight points picked up from the 30 on offer.
Back Newcastle to win at 8/5 with LiveScore Bet.
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