Team news and stats ahead of Newcastle vs Liverpool in the Premier League on Wednesday (kick-off 8pm).
Team news
Newcastle are without key duo Jamaal Lascelles and Allan Saint-Maximin for the visit of Liverpool in the Premier League with both still feeling the effects of Covid-19.
Jonjo Shelvey (groin) and Callum Wilson (ankle) will be assessed after neither were risked against Manchester City on Boxing Day and Joelinton (hip) will hope to prove his fitness. The game is likely to come too soon for Ryan Fraser (groin).
Fabian Schar and Federico Fernandez will also be checked after both returned to the side at the Etihad Stadium despite not having trained much. Jeff Hendrick and Paul Dummett have also been ill.
Liverpool defender Joel Matip and midfielder Naby Keita will miss the trip to St James' Park.
Centre-back Matip injured his groin in Sunday's draw with West Brom, a match Keita missed with another muscle problem, so Rhys Williams looks set to deputise.
Fellow midfielder Thiago Alcantara is not quite ready to make his comeback from a knee injury sustained in October.
How to follow
Follow Newcastle vs Liverpool in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.
Opta stats
- Newcastle are winless in seven Premier League games against Liverpool (D2 L5), losing each of the last five in a row. They've never lost six consecutive top-flight games against the Reds.
- Liverpool are looking to win three consecutive top-flight away games against Newcastle for the first time, netting exactly three goals in each of their last two visits to St James' Park (3-2 in May 2019, 3-1 in July 2020).
- Newcastle are unbeaten in their last four Premier League home games against reigning champions (W2 D2), since a 0-2 loss against Manchester City in August 2014.
- Newcastle have won their final league game in just two of the last 17 calendar years (D3 L12), beating Everton 3-2 in 2014 (Premier League) and Nottingham Forest 3-1 in 2016 (Championship).
- Liverpool have won their final league game in each of the last six calendar years, since losing 1-2 against Chelsea in 2013.
- Newcastle haven't kept a clean sheet in any of their last 11 Premier League home games, shipping 22 goals in total since a 3-0 win over Sheffield United in June.
- Liverpool earned their biggest ever top-flight away win in their last game on the road, beating Crystal Palace 7-0. They scored as many goals in that victory as they had in their previous five away league games and became the first side in Premier League history to have seven different players assist a goal in a match.
- Liverpool have conceded 20 Premier League goals in 15 matches this season - they didn't concede their 20th goal until the 28th match in their title-winning 2019/20 campaign.
- Sadio Mané has scored four away Premier League goals this season, only netting more in one previous campaign (7 last season). Mané has been directly involved in seven goals in his last eight away top-flight matches (6 goals, 1 assist).
- Liverpool's Mo Salah has been involved in nine goals in his last six away Premier League games (7 goals, 2 assists), already netting three more goals on the road this season than he did in the whole of last term (4). The Egyptian has also scored in each of his last four starts against Newcastle.
