A clash of the North takes centre stage on the New Year's Day schedule of the Premier League in 2024 as Liverpool welcomes Newcastle United to their Anfield home on Monday.
The Reds are set to head into January leading the league table following a 2-0 victory over Burnley on Boxing Day, while the Magpies suffered a 3-1 defeat at home against Nottingham Forest in their previous match.
Despite the Burnley fans finding their voice as two goals for the Reds were disallowed—one being more controversial than the other—Vincent Kompany's team couldn't take advantage. Diogo Jota sealed Liverpool's win with a 90th-minute goal from an extremely tight angle.
Both Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott had goals disallowed at Turf Moor. Mohamed Salah was judged to have been in an offside position for the latter, a decision Klopp labelled "insane." However, with Arsenal unexpectedly losing at home to West Ham United a couple of days later, Liverpool currently holds the top spot.
Whether Liverpool will maintain their position at the start of the New Year remains uncertain. Arsenal has the chance to reclaim the lead temporarily by defeating Fulham on New Year's Eve. A hypothetical nine-goal victory for Aston Villa against Burnley would also propel them to the top spot.
Having won all of their 11 initial home games this season, Liverpool's recent run of two draws in their last three Anfield matches might have slightly dampened spirits. Nevertheless, they haven't suffered a defeat on New Year's Day since 2005, securing four wins and a draw in their subsequent five fixtures.
Liverpool vs Newcastle Prediction:
Liverpool bounced back with a win at Burnley on Boxing Day after two consecutive home draws against Manchester United and Arsenal. They seem poised to compete directly with Arsenal for the top spot in the Premier League as the New Year approaches.
Newcastle has lost six of their last seven matches in all competitions, including a shocking home defeat to Nottingham Forest. Their poor form has knocked them out of contention for European football spots, and they'll head to Anfield positioned no higher than eighth.
It appears Liverpool is poised to further add to Newcastle's woes in this upcoming match.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle
Liverpool vs Newcastle Head-to-head:
Liverpool have remained undefeated in all 14 league games against Newcastle since a 2-0 loss at St James' Park in December 2015, just two months into Jurgen Klopp's tenure.
Newcastle, on the other hand, have failed to secure a win in 27 away matches against Liverpool across all competitions (with 5 draws and 22 losses). Their last victory at Anfield dates back to the League Cup fourth round in November 1995, and their sole Premier League triumph there occurred in April 1994.
In the past, all three New Year's Day league encounters between these teams were home matches for Newcastle in the top-flight, resulting in two wins and a draw for the Magpies.
Liverpool vs Newcastle Team News:
Liverpool start 2024 without the services of six players who are dealing with documented injuries. Kostas Tsimikas (collarbone), Ben Doak (knee), Joel Matip (knee), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Thiago Alcantara (hip), and Andrew Robertson (shoulder) won't be participating in Monday's game.
The medical team also needs to assess Alexis Mac Allister, who is in the final stages of recovery from a serious knee injury. If fit enough, he might be included in the matchday squad, but it seems unlikely that he'll start.
Wataru Endo performed well in the number six position in December and is expected to continue in that role on New Year's Day. However, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ibrahima Konate, and Luis Diaz might be recalled after being on the bench during the Turf Moor game.
On the other hand, Newcastle has fewer absences now, but still, eight injured players will remain sidelined alongside Sandro Tonali, who is serving the remainder of his betting ban until August 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) are all still unavailable. However, Joelinton was cleared to be on the bench on Boxing Day after his hamstring concern.
The Brazilian might challenge Sean Longstaff's position in the starting lineup due to Lewis Miley's unexpected impact. Howe might also consider replacing Dan Burn with Tino Livramento, but Burn's physical presence could be advantageous against Virgil van Dijk.