Newcastle United engineered their first top-four finish in two decades last season, but on Sunday they’ll be looking to halt another drought when Liverpool visit St. James’ Park.
Liverpool may have finished beneath Newcastle in last year’s table, but the Reds maintained their head-to-head superiority by sweeping the season series to continue their dominance over the Magpies.
The Reds are unbeaten in their last 13 (9-0-4) against Sunday’s Northeastern foes. Newcastle’s last win over Liverpool came in December 2015 by a 2-0 score.
Fabio Carvalho’s strike deep in second-half stoppage time decided a 2-1 Liverpool home win nearly a year ago. Newcastle found itself down two goals and one man by the 22nd minute of the return fixture in February.
“The one at Anfield was a difficult night and the home game was painful in a different way,” recalled Magpies manager Eddie Howe on Friday. “They’re very, very good at what they’ve been historically good at for four or five years, but they are building a new team with slightly different characteristics in midfield. We know this is another really good test for us.”
Newcastle (1-1-0, 3 points) have already split a pair of fixtures against top-half finishers from last season, opening the campaign with a 5-1 win over Aston Villa before suffering a 1-0 defeat at defending league champions Manchester City last weekend.
Alexander Isak’s brace on the opening weekend makes him one of eight players with multiple goals through the first two weeks of the season.
Liverpool (1-0-1, 4 points) are looking to play themselves back into UEFA Champions League competition and maybe even a title challenge after last year’s disappointing fifth-place finish.
After an opening weekend draw at Chelsea, last weekend’s 3-1 home win over Bournemouth despite going down to 10 men shortly after halftime was a good start.
Luis Diaz scored his second goal of the campaign, and Mo Salah and Diogo Jota also scored in the victory. And while new signing Alexander Mac Allister was sent off for what was deemed violent conduct in the moment, the Reds will have the defensive midfielder available Sunday after their appeal of the decision was successful.
“Massive, massive,” said manager Jurgen Klopp. “I was not sure after the game. When I saw the pictures back, I was pretty sure that it’s not a red card. But that doesn’t mean immediately that our appeal will be successful.”
–Field Level Media