Liverpool vs Newcastle United
The two clubs may have gone onto different paths in recent years, but the Premier League rivalry between Liverpool and Newcastle remains the same.
Liverpool and Newcastle have produced some of the best football matches over the years, and that is expected to be the case once again in a highly anticipated match many see fit to be scheduled on Boxing Day.
Jurgen Klopp’s Reds will be determined to keep the momentum swinging in their favour as they vie for the English top-flight title. They currently lead the league with 48 points, four ahead of reigning champions Manchester City.
The Magpies, however, are more than capable of providing Liverpool with a stern challenge, having been unbeaten in their last two games.
Talking Points
Another change for Liverpool?
The biggest point of discussion for Liverpool heading into this match is the changes that Klopp will make to his squad.
Klopp has assumed the role of “tinker-man” this year and to great success. He has tried different combinations this 2018-19 season, and those changes helped Liverpool stay unbeaten through 18 fixtures.
In their trip to Molineux, Jordan Henderson and James Milner were recalled to the starting lineup and played a crucial role as the Reds swept aside the Wolves 0-2.
With Klopp proving that he has the Midas touch, it won’t be surprising to see him rotate his squad against Rafael Benitez’s team. Besides, opting for fresher legs might be the best course of action the German boss could take to keep his team fresh.
According to the latest Premier League 2018 news, Milner and Henderson are expected to return to the substitute bench, along with Naby Keita who came off injured with a knock at Black Country. In their place, the likes of Nathaniel Clyne, Alberto Moreno, Georginio Wijnaldum and Xherdan Shaqiri could all be given an opportunity as part of the Starting XI.
Reds comfortable at home
The Reds are unbeaten in the Premier League, and another reason for their success is their dominance at Anfield.
They are unbeaten at home in all competitions for seven games now, last losing to Chelsea in the League Cup last September.
Even more remarkable, they are on a six-game winning streak at Anfield, scoring a total of 15 goals in that stretch while conceding just twice. They also have a total of four clean sheets in the process.
Perhaps, Liverpool’s best win at home so far is their 3-1 drubbing of Manchester United a fortnight ago. The game is the perfect example of how dominant Klopp’s charges can be, and it’s worth noting that it was Shaqiri—not Mo Salah or Roberto Firmino—who starred in the match.
Newcastle should expect a hostile environment at Anfield too, no thanks to their history. Nonetheless, Benitez’s side can find some solace from the fact that they haven’t lost away from home since October, a run which saw them play four matches and pull out two wins and two draws.
Where will the goals come from for Newcastle?
The issue for Newcastle as they visit the Reds is their scoring. Put simply, how can a club that has scored only 14 goals beat one of the top-scoring teams in the league that has already found the back of the net a ridiculous 39 times?
That rate is almost triple of Newcastle’s!
Salomon Rondon, who has five league goals for the team, is the easy pick to lead the charge. However, considering that Liverpool have the best defence in the league, Benitez certainly need his other players to step up and contribute offensively.
Defence will play a key role for the Newcastle, but they can’t park the bus and hope everything will go their way without taking the initiative on offence. After all, this is a motivated Liverpool team we are talking about!
History
History is rich between these two proud clubs. They have played 46 times in the Premier League, with Liverpool winning 25 times to Newcastle’s 11. Ten other games ended in a draw.
They have scored more a total of 142 goals in their top-flight meetings, with the Reds being the dominant side again with 91 strikes to the Magpies 51.
Despite Liverpool’s dominance, though, their matches have been pretty close. That is particularly the case over the last few years. In their past six meetings in the league, the two clubs have won two each and drawn the other two.
Interestingly, there has never been a goalless draw between the two sides in the Premier League.
As further proof of the intense matches between the two sides over the years, it’s worth mentioning that they played the Match of the Decade in April 1996. It was a game that saw Liverpool come out 4-3 winners and Newcastle mesmerise fans with their football.
It’s doubtful if they can replicate the beauty of that 1996 game again, but it sure kept them intertwined for the past 22 years.
Betting Tip
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Liverpool vs Newcastle United | Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.26 |
| December 26, 23:00 (GMT+8) |
As expected, Liverpool are heavy favourites on the Premier League 2018 odds at SBOBET.
I do believe the Reds will win this game—all signs point to a home victory, anyway. But it’s quite tempting to bet on a low-scoring affair given the history, rivalry and what’s at stake for both teams.
Both of their meetings last year ended with just two goals, and I think it could go that way again this time.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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