Newcastle United-Liverpool Preview

Jurgen Klopp already expects Newcastle United to be challenging his Liverpool team at the top of the Premier League table.

Newcastle have big ambitions after spending more than £200million in the transfer market in this calendar year following a lucrative takeover last October.

And Eddie Howe's side have made huge strides to close the gap to the likes of Liverpool, remaining unbeaten through the first four games of this season.

Newcastle gave champions Manchester City a game in a 3-3 thriller at St James' Park, and now they face Liverpool at Anfield.

Speaking ahead of that game, Klopp suggested the Magpies would be regularly competing with the elite sooner rather than later.

"They will be," he said. "If Eddie gets time and stuff like this ... I'm not sure they need another transfer window, but if he gets time, they will definitely be.

"That's the football world we live in; it's completely fine.

"Newcastle is a great club and has a lot of success in the past and now for a few years not that much anymore. They have now everything you need to be 'top six' or whatever that means."

However, Howe knows how difficult it will be for Newcastle to go to Anfield, with both teams dealing with various injury issues.

"I think Anfield is a very unique test," he said. "You're tested in lots of different ways.

"'You'll Never Walk Alone' at the start of the game and the atmosphere of the stadium is unique to them. We need to be prepared for it."

Liverpool - Harvey Elliott

There were questions asked of the Liverpool midfield before Saturday's game against Bournemouth, but a 9-0 win put those to rest. Elliott was influential, scoring his first Premier League goal early on, and he will hope to kick on now and make this place his own.

Newcastle United - Elliot Anderson

Newcastle have their own talented young midfielder in Anderson, who has benefited from injuries to Jonjo Shelvey and Bruno Guimaraes. The teenager was influential in rescuing a point at Wolves - and might have snatched victory - so will likely have a prominent role again, either from the start or from the bench.

- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 26 Premier League home games against Newcastle (W21 D5), since a 2-0 loss in April 1994. The Reds have scored in all 26 of these games.

- Newcastle are winless in 11 Premier League games against Liverpool (D4 L7), since a 2-0 home win in December 2015 under Steve McClaren.

- Liverpool have scored more Premier League goals against Newcastle (109) than they have against any other opponent. Meanwhile, only against Manchester United (113) have Newcastle conceded more goals in the competition than they have against Liverpool.

- Liverpool have won 10 of their last 11 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Premier League games, winning each of the last six by an aggregate score of 18-2 since a 1-0 loss at Leicester in December 2021.

- Newcastle have won their last two Premier League games on a Wednesday, having won just one of their previous 24 such matches (D5 L18).

Updated August 30, 2022