Newcastle United vs Liverpool Prediction: Reds to triumph again on Tyneside

Games between Newcastle United and Liverpool rarely disappoint in terms of entertainment and goals, so here's hoping for more of the same on Wednesday evening (19:30, Amazon Prime Video) as the two clubs go head-to-head at St James' Park in the Premier League's midweek round of fixtures.

Read on for my Newcastle United vs Liverpool prediction, alongside all the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

Alexander Isak came off injured after 22 minutes of Newcastle's 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday but has since declared himself fit, even if his boss Eddie Howe was more conservative about a potential return to action. Still, with Callum Wilson only making his first appearance in more than six months last week in the 2-0 defeat at home to West Ham United, and only coming on in the 75th minute against the Eagles, it would be a surprise not to see Isak start on Wednesday.

Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles and Emil Krafth are all out for the long term, however.

There could be a couple of changes to Howe's starting XI in midweek with Harvey Barnes in particular pushing for an appearance from the off. Should the former Leicester City man get the nod, expect him to play from the left, with Anthony Gordon used on the right-hand side of the attack and Joelinton either moving back to midfield or dropping down to the bench.

Sean Longstaff is another potential starter for the Magpies after only appearing as a substitute on Saturday, while Kieran Trippier could earn a first start since September 21 if Howe decides to give regular right-back Valentin Livramento some rest.

Football Odds

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has offered a positive update over Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker and Italian winger Federico Chiesa, with the former "progressing well" in his recovery from injury and the latter back in team training following a spell on the sidelines. However, Alisson certainly won't be in the squad on Wednesday, with Slot hinting that a return to action is more likely in the second half of December, while the Newcastle game may come slightly too soon for Chiesa.

Meanwhile, Kostas Tsimikas, Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate and Diogo Jota are all still in the treatment room.

The Reds ran reigning Premier League champions Manchester City ragged at Anfield on Sunday, beating Pep Guardiola's side 2-0, but with the fixtures coming thick and fast, alterations to the starting XI are likely.

Curtis Jones and Darwin Nunez were both introduced in the 73rd minute against City and are both likely to feature from the beginning on Wednesday, with Alexis Mac Allister - one booking away from a one-match suspension ahead of Saturday's Merseyside derby - and Luis Diaz the two most obvious candidates to be benched for the duo.

Jarell Quansah could also be called upon if Trent Alexander-Arnold isn't passed fit to start two games in quick succession.

Newcastle United vs Liverpool Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Newcastle United vs Liverpool page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match.

Newcastle are 16/5 to beat Liverpool at St James' for the first time since December 2015 when a Martin Skrtel own goal and an injury-time effort from Georginio Wijnaldum, eight months before his move to Merseyside, secured all three points for the hosts. Those odds give the Magpies an implied win probability of 23.8%, while the Reds are 4/5, or a 55.6% chance, to record a fifth straight Premier League victory and a seventh in all competitions.

The draw is priced at 3/1, both teams to score at 4/7, and over 3.5 total goals at 6/4.

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, who has struck in his last six league appearances, is 6/5 favourite in the anytime goalscorer market on Wednesday, followed by teammates Nunez (8/5) and Diaz (15/8), with Isak next at 2/1.

Anytime Goalscorer - Darwin Nunez (LIV) @ 8/5

Nunez is on a lean spell in front of goal, failing to score in his last five appearances (four starts) for club or country, and has only found the net twice in the Premier League all season - and just once since scoring Liverpool's final goal in a 3-0 victory over AFC Bournemouth on September 21.

However, St James' Park is a ground that holds special memories for the Uruguayan, who has struck in each of his outings on Tyneside.

Nunez opened the scoring in a 2-0 win for Liverpool in February 2023 before stealing the show in the corresponding fixture last season, coming off the bench in the 77th minute with the Reds a goal and a man down to bag a brace and earn all three points for the visitors.

The 25-year-old was also lively when the sides last met at Anfield on New Year's Day when the hosts triumphed 4-2. Nunez set up the first of two Salah goals on the night which opened the scoring in L4 and he took eight shots in total, hitting the target five times, but as well as wasteful finishing on his part, credit had to go to Magpies goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, who made 10 saves in total.

Given his previous goalscoring exploits at St James', as well as his desperation to end his barren run, in a team that should create plenty of chances for him, I think Nunez is a solid shout to find the net anytime on Wednesday. Newcastle have only kept three clean sheets in the league this season and conceded twice to West Ham United last time out on home turf, so they're not exactly impenetrable on Tyneside, even if they did shut out Arsenal in a 1-0 victory over the Gunners on November 2.

Salah, Diaz and Cody Gakpo have all stepped up to the plate in recent weeks, scoring goals for fun, and now is the turn of Nunez to show what he's all about.

Match Result & Both Teams to Score - Liverpool and Yes @ 21/10

It's almost an insult to Slot and his group of players that I continue daring to suggest they will concede, as I did ahead of Sunday's win against Man City, where they kept a clean sheet with relative ease. That's now the reigning Premier League and Champions League champions they have denied scoring in the last week following last Wednesday's victory by the same scoreline over Real Madrid.

However, once again I am going to back the opposition in breaching their defence, and in fairness to myself, recent statistics - at least away from home - paint it as a sensible shout.

Liverpool may have recorded four straight shutouts at Anfield but they are now three games without a clean sheet on their travels, drawing 2-2 at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium and winning 3-2 at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium in the Premier League either side of a 3-2 success at Brighton's Amex Stadium in the Carabao Cup. That's two goals given up in their last three away matches, and six in total across that period.

Newcastle blanked in their most recent home game, a 2-0 defeat to West Ham last week, and also failed to score in a 1-0 defeat on Tyneside to Brighton in October. However, they've scored in every other match on home turf this season, including against Manchester City (1-1) and Arsenal (1-0), Liverpool's supposed title rivals, while they also beat a resurgent Chelsea 2-0 at St James' in the Carabao Cup last month.

Nevertheless, I do expect Liverpool to rise above the challenge of the Magpies, even if it is a scrappy win - a 1-2 or 2-3 scoreline sounds about right to me on Wednesday.

Offers

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