Preview: Newcastle United vs. Liverpool

Newcastle United welcome Liverpool to St James' Park on Saturday, seeking a victory to ease their Premier League relegation fears.

Alan Pardew's side have lost three of their last six games to drop to 16th in the league table, six points clear of the bottom three.

Liverpool head into the match on the back of a 2-2 draw with Chelsea last weekend, which kept the Merseyside club in the hunt for Europa League qualification. They are currently 10 points adrift of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with four games left to play.

Pardew may name the same Newcastle side that started last week's 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion, with Rob Elliot keeping his place in goal.

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez will miss the trip to Newcastle after he was handed a 10-match ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic last weekend.

Daniel Sturridge could replace Suarez up front, while midfielder Joe Allen will miss the game with a shoulder problem.

Recent form

Newcastle: WLLWLD

Liverpool: WLWDDD

Possible starting lineups

Newcastle: Elliot; Debuchy, S Taylor, Yanga-Mbiwa, Perch; Haidara Cabaye, Gouffran, Sissoko, Gutierrez; Cisse

Liverpool: Reina; Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Enrique; Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson, Downing, Coutinho; Sturridge

Sports Mole says: 1-1