Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for today's late kickoff as Liverpool host
Newcastle United in one of the great fixtures of the Premier League era!
These two sides traditionally provide bucketloads of goals, and with the top-four race, relegation battle and Rafael Benitez's latest return to Anfield also thrown into the mix, there should be no shortage of storylines from this showdown today.
We will have a closer look at both teams a little later, but first things first let's check out the team news...
LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Can, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Salah, Firmino, Mane
LIVERPOOL SUBS: Mignolet, Milner, Gomez, Moreno, Lallana, Solanke, Matip
NEWCASTLE STARTING XI: Dubravka; Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Dummett; Murphy, Diame, Merino, Kenedy; Atsu; Gayle
NEWCASTLE SUBS: Darlow, Manquillo, Clark, Hayden, Ritchie, Perez, Joselu
What can we make of those two sides, then?
Well, we'll start with the home side and the headline as far as Liverpool are concerned is that captain Jordan Henderson returns to the side, having been rested last time out against West Ham.
James Milner is the man to drop out of the starting lineup for the skipper having picked up a knock during that win over the Hammers, although he is deemed fit enough for a place on the bench this afternoon.
That is one of only two changes made by Klopp to the team which cruised past West Ham last time out, with the other seeing Dejan Lovren return at the heart of the defence in place of Joel Matip, who also drops to the bench.
Lovren partners the most expensive defender of all time Virgil van Dijk in central defence this afternoon, while Alexander-Arnold is once again preferred to Gomez and Andrew Robertson continues ahead of Moreno on either defensive flank.
It is going forward where the bulk of the action is expected to happen for Liverpool today, though, and the deadly trio of Salah, Firmino and Mane all start once again this afternoon.
Mane has not quite been at his best throughout the campaign, but there are signs that his form is improving now and that will only increase the attacking power at Liverpool's disposal, with Firmino and Salah also in devastating form this season.
It is Salah who has been the star of the show for Liverpool this season, though, scoring 31 goals across all competitions already, including 23 in only 27 Premier League appearances.
Indeed, the Egyptian winger has had a hand in 31 league goals this season, adding eight assists to his 23 goals, and across all competitions he has now scored in six successive matches. The last player to score in more consecutive matches for Liverpool was Daniel Sturridge, who did so in eight in February 2014.
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The man charged with stopping Salah from adding to his ever-growing tally of debut-season goals is Newcastle's new goalkeeper Dubravka, who certainly helped to endear himself to the fans with a stunning performance in the win over Manchester United recently.
However, the shot-stopper - who has succeeded Darlow and Elliot as the club's number one already - did concede twice in the final 10 minutes of the draw with Bournemouth last time out.
Rafael Benitez has made three changes to his side from that draw, one of which is enforced as former Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is denied a return to Anfield due to a knee injury.
Shelvey is replaced in the team by Mikel Merino, while Jacob Murphy comes in in place of Matt Ritchie, who only earns a place on the bench this afternoon despite recovering from illness in time to make the matchday squad for this game.
The third change sees Christian Atsu return to the starting lineup in place of Ayoze Perez, who joins Ritchie in dropping to the bench.
Atsu will look to give support to Dwight Gayle up front, with the striker having overcome a slight hamstring problem to again lead the line tonight. He scored both of Newcastle's goals in the draw with Bournemouth last time out, and will hope to be among the goals again here.
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Mo Diame and Kenedy are the only players to keep their place in that midfield quintet, then, but it is an unchanged back four for the Magpies today despite their last collapse against Bournemouth last time out.
Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune and Dummett make up that back four, although the likes of Diame and Merino will need to drop back and protect them further if they are to stifle Liverpool's front three.
Stopping the Reds from scoring is something not a lot of teams have had success in doing this season, though, with
Jurgen Klopp's side plundering 103 goals across all competitions already this term - second only to Man City's 114 among Premier League teams.
Sixty-five of those have come in the Premier League too, although as has been the case for a number of years now, it is their defensive issues which have let them down this term, conceding more goals than any other team in the top five.
Liverpool nonetheless remain well-placed to claim back-to-back top-four finishes this season, with a four-point gap now separating them from fifth-placed Chelsea. Victory tonight would see that grow to seven, and Chelsea would only close it again if they are to get anything away to Man City on Sunday.
The Reds will start this game fourth in the table courtesy of Tottenham's win over Huddersfield in the 3pm kickoffs, but victory would see them end the day second - where they would stay until at least Monday night, when United take on Crystal Palace.
Jurgen Klopp's team are the form side in the Premier League at the moment, winning seven of their last nine top-flight outings and taking 22 points from a possible 27 in the process.
Indeed, the Reds have seemingly found consistency at long last having lost just one of their last 19 league games stretching back to October, although the next step will be trying to turn some of the draws from that spell into victories.
Across all competitions Liverpool have won four and lost none of their last five outings, which is a good response to their surprise successive losses at the hands of Swansea in the league and West Brom in the FA Cup.
Even more impressively, though, Liverpool have scored 16 goals in those five games - including nine in their last two -while they have also emerged victorious from each of their last three outings.
This is the beginning of a very big week for Liverpool as they take on Porto for the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie at Anfield on Tuesday before facing Manchester United next weekend.
The midweek European clash should just be a dead-rubber for Liverpool following their impressive 5-0 win in the reverse at the Estadio Do Dragao, but the latter game could go a long way to determining who finishes as runners-up to Manchester City this season.
Jurgen Klopp will know that taking his eye off this game could lead to a costly slip-up, but Liverpool are heavy favourites to come away with the win this evening - due largely to their impressive home form this season.
The Reds have lost just one of their 20 home games across all competitions this term, with that defeat coming at the hands of West Brom in the FA Cup. while in the Premier League they are yet to taste defeat at Anfield this season - joining Man City as the only two unbeaten home teams left in this top flight.
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Indeed, Liverpool's unbeaten home record in the league now stretches back 16 games to last April, including four wins from their last five Anfield outings, but they would still only be fifth in the table if just home form counted, due largely to their draws here.
The Reds have actually scored more goals away from home this season than they have here at Anfield, and they have not kept a home clean sheet since Boxing Day - six matches ago. The Reds had kept seven clean sheets in their nine home games prior to that, so there has been a definite defensive dip here recently.
Newcastle may well fancy their chances of nicking a goal today, then, and if they can do that then they could well come away with a positive result considering Benitez's ability to organise a team.
No club needs reminding of that less than Liverpool, who won the 2005 Champions League against all odds under the Spaniard, and added an FA Cup trophy to that a year later. Benitez went on to manage 350 games during his six-year spell in charge of Liverpool, boasting a win percentage of 55%.
Since leaving the club, Benitez has come up against Liverpool on three occasions in the Premier League, and he is yet to taste defeat at the hands of his former employers.
The Spaniard is also winless against Liverpool in that time, drawing all three meetings, but he would take another one of those tonight I'm sure. Both of his previous visits to Anfield have seen him draw 2-2.
Should Newcastle go one better than that and pick up all three points then that would catapult the Magpies up to 12th in the Premier League table, and suddenly five points clear of the relegation zone.
Swansea's victory earlier today means that Newcastle have dropped a place from 15th to 16th even before kickoff, but it is so tight in that bottom half that a win or two for the Magpies could be the difference between staying up and being relegated.
As things stand, Newcastle sit two points clear of the bottom three, despite a decent run of form in recent weeks which has seen them lose only one of their last eight Premier League games - and that was away to Man City.
Indeed, Man City - home and away - are the only team to have beaten Newcastle in the Premier League since December 16, but the problem has been too many draws in that time, with the Magpies sharing the spoils on five occasions.
Newcastle did claim the significant scalp of Manchester United recently - much to Liverpool's delight - but they have not fared too well against top-half opposition in general this season.
Ten of Newcastle's 13 league defeats this season have come against teams who began today in the top half of the table, including all five of their such matches away from home.
Such games are unlikely to be the difference between Newcastle staying up or going down this season - particularly with big home clashes against Huddersfield and Southampton coming up - but anything they can get from places like Anfield are still a huge bonus.
Newcastle have also been decent enough away from home this season, picking up the same number of points on the road as Arsenal. Indeed, if only way form counted then Newcastle would be sitting in the top half of the table.
Newcastle's away form is certainly something which has improved in recent weeks, with just one defeat from their last five league games on the road compared to only one win and 15 defeats in 20 before that.
Even so, Newcastle are still winless on the road since New Year's Day and, with their final five away games of the league season coming against teams who began the day in the top half, they may need to start picking up their form at home too.
PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes from kickoff at Anfield, which means that it is time for a prediction!
Newcastle have looked a lot harder to beat in recent weeks, and you can never underestimate the quality of Benitez's tactics, but it is very hard to back against Liverpool at the moment - particularly at home. We're going for a comfortable home win.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle
This is, of course, one of the great fixtures of the Premier League era, and Liverpool have particularly enjoyed it having scored more goals against Newcastle in the competition than any other club (89).
A couple of 4-3 results in the mid-90s are the most memorable of fixtures between these two, but there have been plenty more down the years and hopefully we will see another this evening.
If Newcastle are to spring a shock then it would be their first win at Anfield since April 1994, when goals from Rob Lee and Andy Cole fired the Magpies to a 2-0 victory.
Since then Liverpool are unbeaten in 21 home league games against the Magpies - including five wins from five during Benitez's time at Anfield - and Newcastle have only endured two longer winless away runs to a single opponent: 29 games at Manchester United until 2012 and 22 at Chelsea, which ended in 1981.
Liverpool could also establish a Premier League record of scoring in 22 consecutive home games against a single opponent, and their cause will be helped further if Newcastle are against reduced to 10 men, having been shown four red cards in their last four Premier League visits to Anfield.
The reverse fixture last season ended 1-1 as Joselu cancelled out Coutinho's opener, whereas at Anfield in April 2016 Newcastle came from two goals down to earn a draw.
Right, the players are out and we're just about ready to get started here at Anfield! A quick reminder of the team news before we do get underway...
LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Can, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Salah, Firmino, Mane
NEWCASTLE STARTING XI: Dubravka; Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Dummett; Murphy, Diame, Merino, Kenedy; Atsu; Gayle
KICKOFF: Here we go then! Newcastle get us underway at Anfield!
It has taken less than a minute for Benitez's name to ring around Anfield. The Newcastle fans join in, of course, but Benitez is still very fondly remembered here.
Quiet start to the match here as Liverpool see the majority of the ball in the opening exchanges. I suspect this may be a familiar pattern to this game.
CHANCE! Almost a chance inside five minutes for Liverpool as Lascelles misjudges a cross into the box, allowing Mane to collect it in a very good position. However, the Liverpool man is surprised that it has reached him and his touch allows Lascelles to recover and get a challenge in.
Liverpool are dominating possession at the moment, knocking the ball about themselves and probing for a way through a Newcastle side which is working hard to keep their shape at the moment.
Salah almost gets the chance to run in behind the defence down the right flank, but Dummett makes a good challenge and gets the ball to deflect off Salah and behind for a goal kick too.
It is one-way traffic at the moment, and Newcastle need to find a way to keep hold of the ball for longer here. They are defending well, but have offered nothing on the ball as of yet.
Important block from Dummett here as he gets in the way of a sweetly-struck Salah effort. It was a painful one for the Newcastle defender, but he made the crucial block.
Oxlade-Chamberlain pings a beauty of a pass across the pitch for Salah, but the Egyptian's touch lets him down. A better touch there would have left him one on one with Dummett.
the first hint of an attack from Newcastle as Yedlin speeds past Robertson on the right, but his subsequent cross goes straight into the arms of Karius.
SAVE! Salah almost produces a beauty to spark this game into life! The winger darts in behind to latch on to a cross over the top and unleashes a brilliant first-time volley which Dubravka needs to turn past his near post. Think Fernando Torres against Blackburn all those years ago.
SHOT! Alexander-Arnold swings a free kick into the box which Can gets his head to, but he can only produce a looping effort which Dubravka watches drop past his post.
Newcastle have offered very little in terms of attacking prowess in this opening 20 minutes, but they will be relatively pleased with their defensive performance so far. Liverpool have only had that Salah half-chance to speak of so far.
Liverpool need to up the tempo of this match if they can. They have been dragged into Newcastle's game plan a little here.
SAVE! Strange one for Newcastle as Lejeune - the big centre-back - takes on a free kick from all of 35 yards out. He goes for goal, but it is easy for Karius to get across and make the save.
Well, it is not easy to stifle this Liverpool team, particularly here at Anfield, but Newcastle have done a very good job of that in the opening 25 minutes here.
CHANCE! A good team move eventually earns Liverpool a corner, and Lovren meets the resulting delivery with a firm header. His effort is saved by Dubravka, and his follow-up header is blocked by Merino too.
CHANCE! Another chance for Liverpool as they win the ball back high up the pitch and work it across to Salah. The winger has space inside the area but takes too long over his finish and Lejeune gets across to make an important block.
SHOT! Newcastle look to hit back with their first shot of the night as Gayle turns and tries his luck from range, but his effort is always rising and ends up well off target.
Jurgen Klopp wants to see more urgency from his team here. This has been a fairly comfortable half an hour or so for the visitors, and an unusually quiet one for Liverpool at Anfield.
Liverpool win a couple of corners in quick succession, and the second sees the ball flash right across the face of goal, with Dubravka coming off his line but completely missing the ball.
If you want an idea of how this match is going, Liverpool have had 82% possession so far. They have completely dominated possession, but in terms of clear chances there has not been much to shout about.
Van Dijk clips a clever pass over the top for Robertson to race on to down the left, but his touch is heavy and the ball runs out for a goal kick.
It is all a bit too slow for Liverpool at the moment, and in truth this hasn't been a classic which lives up to the history of this fixture in the Premier League.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Newcastle (Mohamed Salah)
Liverpool have not been at their best, and they have had to be patient, but they have the lead against Newcastle now as
Mohamed Salah does it again.
Oxlade-Chamberlain picks the ball up in midfield before bursting forward and playing the ball to Salah, who is unmarked inside the box. This time it is just one touch and shoot, putting the ball between the legs of Dubravka for his 32nd goal of the season.
Liverpool almost break in behind again here as Firmino skips his way to the byline before pulling it back for Mane, but he puts his effort well off target under pressure from a few Newcastle defenders.
Liverpool are pushing for a second before half time here. That opening goal seems to have sparked them into life and they are now looking a lot more like the Liverpool we are used to seeing.
There will be a minimum of one minute added time at the end of this first half.
SAVE! Karius has had nothing to do all night, but he pulls off a brilliant save to keep his side ahead here! A back-heel from Merino sets up Diame, who half looks as though he is going for goal and half looks like he is trying to avoid a challenge from Can. His subsequent effort is still destined for the top corner, though, until Karius pulls off a superb stop.
HALF TIME: Liverpool 1-0 Newcastle
Liverpool huffed and puffed, and finally broke down the Newcastle wall to take a 1-0 lead into half time of this clash at Anfield.
Liverpool have dominated possession throughout, but Newcastle defended really well to frustrate the Reds for the vast majority of the half. Liverpool took their one big chance, though, and are now en route to moving second in the table.
The opening goal arrived just five minutes before half time when a loose ball broke into the path of Oxlade-Chamberlain, who immediately turned towards goal and drove forward.
The Ox drew the Newcastle defenders towards him before playing the ball into an unmarked Salah, who took a touch and slipped him finish between the legs of Dubravka for his 32nd goal of the season - as many as Newcastle have managed as a team.
Liverpool have otherwise struggled to create too much of any note following an unusually toothless first half. Salah did threaten with a brilliant first-time volley which slammed into the side-netting, while Lovren was also denied twice from a corner into the box.
On the whole, though, Liverpool's performance in that first half lacked enough urgency and pace in the play, and Klopp will want an improvement in the second half despite his team being ahead at the break.
Newcastle have offered very little going forward themselves, but they did almost level things up right on the stroke of half time when Diame managed to get a shot away from the edge of the box.
His curling effort was heading for the top corner, but Karius reacted really well to pull off a brilliant save and claw the ball away.
KICKOFF: Liverpool get us back underway for the second half at Anfield!
Firmino releases Salah down the right flank and the winger has green grass to run into, but Dummett does really well to get back and get a good challenge in inside the area.
PENALTY SHOUT! Liverpool want a penalty here as the ball breaks to Salah on the edge of the box and his subsequent effort strikes the arm of Lascelles. The arm was in an unnatural position, but there was barely any distance between the two players so it could have gone either way.
Newcastle have begun this second half in similar fashion to the first, allowing Liverpool to have the lion's share of possession and focusing mainly on defending. They will need to throw caution to the wind at some point, though.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle (Sadio Mane)
Liverpool suddenly burst into life and cut through Newcastle's defence to double their lead.
A couple of quick passes finds Firmino in some space, and he squeezes a really clever pass through for Mane. The winger takes one touch before curling his finish past Dubravka, and perhaps putting this game to bed for Liverpool.
How to Newcastle approach this match now? They came from two goals down on their last visit to Anfield, but they have not looked like being capable of doing that now. Benitez may instead focus on keeping the score down.
Liverpool look keen to add to their score here, as they always do. Even when they are in this form there are still question marks over the Reds and Newcastle have a glimmer of hopes because of that, but at this stage it looks a lot more likely that Liverpool will add to their lead rather than let Newcastle back into this match.
Here is that second Liverpool goal, which is the best team move they have produced so far tonight...
NEWCASTLE SUB: The visitors make their first change of the evening as Joselu replaces Gayle.
Liverpool win another corner which goes all the way to Lovren at the back post. His header back inside is hooked on by Van Dijk, but he cannot get his foot around the ball enough to turn it goalwards.
Twenty minutes remaining for Newcastle to try to claw their way back into this match, but it really is not looking likely at this stage. Liverpool are in cruise control at the moment.
Better from Newcastle in the last few moments as they begin to see a bit more of the ball inside the Liverpool half. Liverpool have taken the foot off the pedal here, but they can't afford to do it too much.
NEWCASTLE SUB: Another change from Newcastle here as Isaac Hayden replaces Merino.
LIVERPOOL SUB: Liverpool respond with their first change of the night as Adam Lallana replaces Mane.
Robertson floats a ball forward which releases Lallana in behind, but his pass back across goal finds no Liverpool shirts in the middle. The flag is up, but the replay shows that it is a poor decision from the assistant.
CHANCE! Decent chance for Newcastle as they play a short corner before swinging the ball into the box. Hayden rises unchallenged, but he plants his header wide of the target.
LIVERPOOL SUB: Another change for the hosts here as Oxlade-Chamberlain is replaced by James Milner.
SHOT! Half a chance for Liverpool as Firmino's blocked shot falls to Henderson, whose own first-time effort also takes a deflection on its way behind for a corner.
Good block from Milner to deny Joselu after the sub had got on the end of a knockdown from a free kick. Newcastle want a penalty for handball, but the referee says no.
NEWCASTLE SUB: A third and final change for the visitors as Ayoze Perez replaces Murphy.
Salah has a chance to stretch his legs here as he races forward, but he almost leads the ball behind and has to check his run. He then tries to squeeze a pass to Can, but Atsu has tracked back well.
LIVERPOOL SUB: A third change for Liverpool too as Firmino departs to be replaced by Joel Matip.
There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this match.
Salah again tears through on goal and is tripped by the last man, but somehow the referee and his assistant wave away claims for anything. Klopp is apoplectic, and it looked like a certain foul to me too.
FULL TIME: Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle United
The referee brings an end to the match after that terrible decision not to award Liverpool a free kick - and a possible red card for Lascelles too. The Reds are left feeling hard done by, but it is still another win on the board for them as they climb up to second in the Premier League table.
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane got the goals for the hosts, who never really got out of second gear as they battled their way past a stubborn but toothless Newcastle.
Right, that is all we have time for this evening!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's late Premier League kickoff as Liverpool climb up to second place courtesy of a 2-0 win over Newcastle. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
