Alexander Isak was once a fan favourite at St James’ Park, but things have changed. With Liverpool now linked to him, Newcastle fans are feeling uneasy as the two sides meet on Monday night.
Newcastle were left disappointed after a goalless draw against Aston Villa in their first game of the new Premier League season. After a difficult summer off the pitch and in the transfer market, the team will be hoping that playing at home can give them a boost. Under Eddie Howe, they have won their first home league game in each of the last three seasons.
Liverpool had a shaky start to their season but managed to beat Bournemouth 4-2 thanks to two late goals. Now they face a tough trip to the north east, where the crowd is expected to be loud and unforgiving due to the situation around Isak. Last season, Liverpool lost three of their last four away games, so their new manager Arne Slot will be looking to change that.
When these two teams last met, Newcastle beat Liverpool 2-1 in the Carabao Cup final. However, in the Premier League, Newcastle have not beaten Liverpool in the last 17 matches, with 12 losses and five draws.
Newcastle have failed to score in their last three league matches and will want to avoid going four games without a goal, which last happened in early 2020. On a positive note, they’ve scored first in six of their last seven home matches.
Liverpool have been involved in high-scoring matches lately, with both teams scoring in each of their last seven games. They’ve also managed to find the net in the first half of six of their last eight away games.
Anthony Elanga may be important for Newcastle, especially as all of his last four goals came before half-time. For Liverpool, Hugo Ekitike has made a strong start, scoring the first goal in each of his two appearances so far.
Joe Willock might miss the match for Newcastle due to a calf injury. Liverpool will be without Jeremie Frimpong and possibly Conor Bradley, who is also injured.
The match will be played at St James’ Park with audio commentary starting five minutes before kick-off. It will be shown on Amazon Prime Video and other channels depending on your country.
With tensions high and both teams eager to win, the game could be tight early on. A stronger second half is likely, and that might be when the goals come.
