Newcastle v Liverpool preview: Reds eye fifth straight win
Sunday 6 December 2015 16:07, UK
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool face Newcastle at St James' Park aiming to make it five wins in a row on Super Sunday.
The Reds have been in formidable form of late, particularly away from home where they have scored 14 goals in victories over Chelsea, Rubin Kazan, Manchester City and Southampton.
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Meanwhile, Newcastle have conceded eight in their last two games and have failed to score in their two most recent home games.
Liverpool are sixth in the Premier League table, just four points off the Champions League places, while Steve McClaren's side are two points from safety in 19th.
Team news
Newcastle's injury problems show no sign of abating after defender Mike Williamson was ruled out of Sunday's clash.
Williamson was recalled from a loan spell at Wolves after fellow central defender Jamaal Lascelles picked up a hamstring problem, but the former Portsmouth defender is now sidelined with a similar injury.
Midfielder Cheick Tiote is out with a groin strain, while goalkeeper Tim Krul (knee ligaments), defenders Steven Taylor (hamstring) and Massadio Haidara (knee cartilage), midfielders Gabriel Obertan (hamstring) and Rolando Aarons (foot) and striker Emmanuel Riviere (knee) are all sidelined.
Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho is a major doubt for the match.
The Brazil international had missed the last three matches with a hamstring injury and his recovery is taking longer than anticipated.
Midfielder Emre Can serves a one-match suspension while defender Kolo Toure has a knock and is unlikely to travel.
Opta stats
Of games to have been played at least 34 times in Premier League history, this fixture has the highest goals per game average (3.14 - 132 goals in 42 games) and no side have scored more Premier League goals against Newcastle than Liverpool (86).
There have been a total of seven red cards shown in the last seven top-flight meetings between these two sides (the last six all for the Magpies).
Indeed, only Liverpool versus Everton (20) and Liverpool versus Manchester United (16) have produced more Premier League red cards than the clashes between Liverpool and Newcastle (14).
Daniel Sturridge has bagged six goals against Newcastle in the Premier League (including four in his last three appearances); more than against any other side.
Merson's prediction
I've been in football a long time and have seen a few upsets in my time - but I cannot see one here.
I can see Liverpool beating Newcastle 4-0 at St James' Park. I've watched Newcastle a couple of times in recent weeks and there are ways to lose football matches and the ways they've lost in recent weeks haven't been good.
I've been impressed with Liverpool under Klopp and with the way they've been playing it should be an easy afternoon's work.
PAUL PREDICTS: 0-4 (25/1 with Sky Bet)
Betting
Liverpool are odds-on for the victory at 8/13 with Sky Bet as Newcastle are rated 9/2 chances despite home advantage, with the draw priced at 14/5. The Reds are also currently marginally odds-on at 10/11 for a top-four finish, while the contrasting form of McClaren's men has seen them cut to 6/4 to face relegation. Christian Benteke heads the first goalscorer market at 9/2 despite the midweek heroics from his fellow strikers Sturridge (4/1) and Divock Origi (5/1), while Papiss Cisse is considered the hosts' main threat at 8/1 to break the deadlock.
