Good afternoon everybody. Welcome to our coverage of what we hope will be a 4-3 thriller (hence the main image to accompany this liveblog) but we think could be a 8-0 humiliation of a rather hapless Magpies.
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Let’s get straight to the team news, shall we? Here’s how the hosts will line up.
And here’s what the Liverpool XI looks like.
So, just the one change for Steve McClaren’s side with Siem de Jong coming in from the cold to make his first league start of the season. Ayoze Perez drops to the bench.
Jurgen Klopp has elected to leave Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi on the bench, despite two of them managing five of Liverpool’s six goals in the Capital Once Cup clash with Southampton. In come Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke while James Milner and Jordan Ibe return to the starting XI in place of Adam Lallana and Emre Can, who is suspended for this.
Tino loved scoring against Liverpool, didn’t he? How Newcastle could do with him this afternoon…and what a pass from David Ginola, eh?
Even the Toon fans love Kloppo…
KICK-OFF!
Within 20 seconds, Liverpool have forced a corner…
Already, the hosts on the ropes as Skrtel’s shot from close range is deflected for another set-piece. Second time around, Newcastle clear and eventually win a throw to ease the pressure.
Nice little interchange after Clyne plays a great ball from right-back. The pass is for Benteke to run onto but is’ slightly over-hit.
Cylne bursts right through the middle of the pitch and heads off on a 40-yard run. He gets to the edge of the Newcastle area before being challenged. Massive gaps all over the place here.
For anyone wondering why Sturridge hasn’t been retained…
Just caught a glimpse of Rob Elliot…who appears to be carrying a bit of timber.
Jordan Ibe has just raced right through the heart of the Newcastle midfield, taking two or three players with him. Plenty of pace and power to this Liverpool lineup.
After about 30 seconds, this looked like being an absolute humiliation but, to their credit, Newcastle have kept things relatively tight in the last ten minutes or so.
A simple tactic from Newcastle here but it’s proving effective. They’re doubling up on Liverpool’s wide players and preventing the cross from being played. With Moreno cropping up on the overlap so often in recent weeks, he’s not seen much space so far. Ditto Clyne on the opposite flank.
Dummett handles Ibe’s run to the by-line but it’ll be a corner to Liverpool here…
VERY CLOSE! Wow. Christian Benteke should really have scored. From the in-swinging corner, there’s a little knock-down and it breaks for the Belgian about three yards out. He stabs at the loose ball as Elliot pounces but from close-range, it’s too high and floats over the bar. He can smile, probably bemused at how he’s just missed.
More pressure from Liverpool here and another corner too. Ibe floats it to the far stick but it’s too high and the chance is gone.
A bit of encouragement from Newcastle as a couple of passes lead to a delicate ball over the top for de Jong to try and run onto. But Moreno does well to close him down. The attacker actually handles too, to make it worse.
McClaren applauds as Newcastle up the tempo and get stuck in a bit, harassing and harrying Liverpool. The cross to the far post sees Cisse chest it down and get around Clyne but his shot is wide of the far post. A great chance BUT the whistle had already gone for a foul.
YELLOW CARD! Colback goes right through the back of Firmino and it’s very rash. Inevitably, he goes in the book.
That should be a lot better from Cisse. Sissoko tears off on an overlap down the right side and if the pass is an easy one, he’s on a clear path to goal. But the striker puts far too much on it and the chance slips away.
Frustration growing for Liverpool here as they’re not being allowed build many attacks at all. Newcastle have been dogged and spirited but you feel that if the Reds get one, they won’t stop there.
CHANCE! That’s a decent opportunity for Newcastle as Wijnaldum plays a superb pass through for Cisse to race onto. He’s just got Skrtel to beat but instead of taking it on the outside, he cuts onto his left and into traffic. Finally, Skrtel gets a foot on the ball and the chance is gone. A bit more street-smarts from Cisse and the hosts could’ve been in front here.
CHANCE! Mbemba is at the back post after Colback swings in a corner. A little flick on at the front stick and the centre-back rises above Coloccini to try and power it home but it’s too high. Good chance and he knows it.
YELLOW CARD! Lucas goes in the book for a pull back on de Jong.
AND THAT’S HALF-TIME!
Well, Herr Klopp will be handing out a pretty intense team-talk at the break because his side were growing increasingly frustrated by Newcastle’s setup. Unexpectedly, the Magpies have been well-drilled, organised and resilient. They’ve given away very little and created a handful of chances themselves.
Benteke missed a great chance from close range while Jordan Ibe has been a menace but other than that, there hasn’t been much from the guests. Cisse and Mbemba have had decent opportunities and could arguably have been in front at the break.
2ND HALF BEGINS!
Early threat from Firmino who is in the left channel of the area when he picks up the ball. Looks to give Elliot the eyes and whip it inside the near post but it’s a weak effort and rolls harmlessly wide.
What a run from Mbemba. He coughed up possession after a heavy touch and it looked like Newcastle could’ve been done on the counter attack. But he immediately wins the ball back and pushes towards goal. Just as he tries to offload on the edge of the Liverpool area, he’s challenged and Liverpool win it back.
Coloccini is fortunate here. He dives in with studs showing to challenge Ibe and he’s late. Referee plays advantage and Firmino tees up Joe Allen on the edge of the area. It’s a decent chance but the midfielder pulls it wide. Coloccini, by the way, doesn’t even get a yellow. Lucky boy.
It’s a nice metaphor for Liverpool so far as Moreno commits a foul throw. Klopp has just roared at Firmino after he’s cleared out by Dummett, who merely wanted it more.
YELLOW CARD! Vernon Anita catches Joe Allen late and it’s an inevitable booking.
SUBSTITUTIONS! Lallana (on) – Benteke (off) & Sturridge (on) – Firmino (off)
So, after his double midweek, can Sturridge do something similar here?
YELLOW CARD! Dear me. Cisse goes in on Lallana to welcome him to the game. It’s an awful challenge, catching him with his studs.
Sissoko does superbly to keep in Janmaat’s over-hit pass. The full-back gets it back after a clever back-heel from the midfielder and the cross, momentarily, causes some problems. But eventually Mignolet reaches up and grabs the loose ball to ease the pressure.
SUBSTITUTION! Perez (on) – de Jong (off)
Perez scored the winner against Liverpool last season. Could he come up trumps again?
GOAL! Wijnaldum!
Well, how about that? The cross from the right is picked up by the Dutchman but the chance seems to be gone as he tries to re-adjust his body after a poor first touch. He takes it wide of Skrtel and the angle tightens but the shot takes a deflection off the centre-back and somehow finds the net.
SUBSTITUTION! Origi (on) – Ibe (off)
Another attacking change for Liverpool and that’s all three changes used now. Ibe had been good but trudges off here, barely acknowledging Klopp’s hand.
CHANCE! Lallana slips a great pass through for Sturridge who takes it on his right and looks to flash it to the far corner. But he gets it all wrong and it drifts well wide of Elliot’s goal.
SUBSTITUTION! Gouffran (on) – Colback (off)
Fresh legs in midfield as the former Sunderland player has been pretty solid this afternoon, giving little away. It means Wijnaldum drifts inside to partner Anita now.
CONTROVERSY! That’s a major cock-up from the officials. A superb diagonal ball from the right side and Moreno gets on the end of it, brilliantly side-footing a controlled volley to the far corner. It’s a magnificent strike but the flag is up for offside. Replay shows…he’s clearly onside.
SUBSTITUTION! Thauvin (on) – Cisse (off)
All three changes made by the home side now.
By the way, the Newcastle goal has been credited as a Skrtel OG now.
That was an anxious moment as the in-swinging corner saw Elliot come for it but fail to get anywhere near the ball. Lovren won it in the air but thankfully for Newcastle, it drifted wide of the upright.
Another corner for Liverpool here as Sissoko does well to flick away a dangerous cross to the far post. Eventually, from another delivery, Lovren sends his header harmlessly into Elliot’s gloves.
Coloccini has been a man-mountain for Newcastle today and he’s left Skrtel in a heap here. It looks like he just left his arm in as the pair challenged in the air and the Liverpool centre-back receives a bit of treatment.
GOAL! Wijnaldum!
Wow. Liverpool undone by a perfect counter-attack and it’s all about Sissoko, who wants to push up the right side to relieve the pressure. He checks inside Moreno and suddenly, he has space in front of him. Instead of heading to the corner flag though, he sends a perfect pass across for Wijnaldum who takes it into his stride and as Mignolet races out, carefully clips it over the keeper to the net. Beautiful finish. Game over.
FULL-TIME! Newcastle 2-0 Liverpool!
The Premier League has conjured some absolutely bizarre results this season and this was really unexpected. To give the Magpies credit, they certainly deserved at least a point. They were strong, solid and played as a team. They showed plenty of spirit and determination, exemplified by Coloccini at centre-back.
They were fortunate with the opening goal but they made their own luck, really and Liverpool couldn’t find a way into the game.
Sissoko was excellent and there was little surprise when he and Wijnaldum combined so brilliantly for the second goal.
Nothing really got going for Jurgen Klopp’s side and he changed all his attackers in the second half in a desperate attempt to make something happen. Newcastle shut down the options though and made it incredibly difficult for Liverpool to get any sort of momentum.
Some welcome relief for Steve McClaren as he oversees Newcastle’s best display of the campaign.
