By OkayGoal
Newcastle United open their Premier League campaign against Liverpool this weekend in a fixture that looks tough on paper for the Magpies, though in reality both sides carry unresolved squad problems heading into opening weekend.
Newcastle need an experienced midfielder, at least one more full-back, a centre-half and possibly a forward, while Liverpool need a defensive midfielder, a right winger and a centre-half. Both clubs also arrive with new managers, Matthias Jaissle at Newcastle and Andoni Iraola at Liverpool, adding a further layer of uncertainty to how each side actually lines up.
When & where?
Competition: Premier League
Venue: St James’ Park
Newcastle vs Liverpool key battles
Lewis Miley vs Dominik Szoboszlai: The midfield battle is genuinely interesting given both teams need reinforcements there. Szoboszlai was Liverpool’s creator-in-chief last season, and Newcastle will need to keep him quiet. If Miley plays as part of a double pivot alongside Jacob Ramsey, Newcastle could cut off the supply line to Liverpool’s attackers, and doing so would give them a real chance of winning this individual battle.
Malick Thiaw vs Alexander Isak: Isak is not yet back to his best, but his pace still makes him a genuine threat. Thiaw could be partnered with Dan Burn, who is not exactly known for his own pace, meaning Thiaw will need to stay alert to Isak’s movement and block runs in behind. There is extra motivation attached to this one for Isak, returning to St James’ Park for the first time since his acrimonious move to Liverpool, so expect a charged atmosphere. Thiaw is generally calm and composed under pressure, so he should not be rattled by it.
Jérémy Jacquet vs Yoane Wissa: Premier League debutant Jacquet could face a tough afternoon against Wissa, who is starting to resemble the player Newcastle fans watched at Brentford. His speed and trickery will test Jacquet, and he will look to pounce on any rookie mistakes from the 20-year-old. That said, Jacquet has looked assured in pre-season, and having the experienced Virgil van Dijk alongside him should help settle any nerves.
Newcastle vs Liverpool tactical battle
Both managers favour front-foot, attacking football, meaning this is likely to be an open game. Jaissle’s style is built entirely around pressing, an approach he has described as “very vertical.” He wants his team to recover the ball quickly and attack immediately rather than passing back or sideways, and he has mainly used a 4-2-3-1 in pre-season, which should be expected to continue, at least at the start of the game.
Iraola uses the same formation and his teams are energetic and unafraid to take risks. Newcastle could look to capitalise on that high-risk approach if Liverpool make mistakes in possession. Both sides are still at the getting-to-know-you stage with their new managers, though Newcastle are a few weeks further behind in that process. They looked genuinely vulnerable defensively in pre-season, which means Liverpool’s high press could cause real problems here.
Newcastle team news vs Liverpool
Newcastle’s full backline picture is expected to feature Jérémy Jacquet, Malick Thiaw, Dan Burn and Lewis Hall, with Jacob Ramsey and Lewis Miley forming the double pivot. Anthony Elanga, Ashley Barnes and William Osula complete the expected attacking line, with goalkeeping duties expected to go to Horniček.
Liverpool team news vs Newcastle United
Andoni Iraola faces several genuine headaches. There is a significant gap to fill on the right wing following Mohamed Salah’s departure, and new signings Jérémy Jacquet and Ronald Araújo are both competing for a place at centre-back, further complicated by five players expected to miss out through injury altogether.
Liverpool are still in negotiations with PSG regarding potential signings Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye, but with neither deal agreed at the time of writing, Iraola will need to be creative on the right. Options include new signing Victor Muñoz and rising academy talent Rio Ngumoha, who started in Liverpool’s final pre-season friendly against Como, hinting he may have an edge, though Muñoz has more experience actually playing on the right.
A more likely solution may be shifting Dominik Szoboszlai to the right, a position he occupied last winter under Arne Slot, though that would likely require starting Alexis Mac Allister in midfield, who has played less than an hour in pre-season after an extended break following his World Cup exploits.
At centre-back, Iraola has a straight choice between £60 million new signing Jacquet, who has just returned from long-term injury, and Barcelona loanee Araújo. Both played 45 minutes each against Como alongside Virgil van Dijk, and neither enjoyed a full pre-season, though Jacquet started the final friendly and scored, suggesting he may currently be ahead in the race.
Five Liverpool players are unavailable for this fixture. Giovanni Leoni has yet to return to full training as he recovers from an ACL injury and is unlikely to be involved on Sunday despite targeting a return in the coming weeks. Joe Gomez is also unavailable, targeting an early-mid September return after an unspecified muscular injury sustained in pre-season. Conor Bradley remains a long-term absentee, unlikely to play until early 2027 following his own knee ligament injury, while striker Hugo Ekitiké hopes to return in October following calf surgery. Youngster Jayden Danns is also unavailable, not having played since March due to a thigh problem.
There has also been speculation over the future of Cody Gakpo, a transfer target for Tottenham Hotspur, though the Dutchman started on the left wing in recent friendlies against Como and Monaco and looks likely to do so again. Should transfer talks over Gakpo advance quickly, Ngumoha or Muñoz could deputise on the left.
Predicted lineups
Newcastle possible lineup vs Liverpool: Horniček; Dedić, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Ramsey, Miley; Elanga, Wissa, Barnes; Osula.
Liverpool predicted lineup vs Newcastle: Alisson; Kerkez, Van Dijk, Jacquet, Frimpong; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Gakpo, Wirtz, Szoboszlai; Isak.
Newcastle vs Liverpool form guide and head-to-head record
Newcastle carry a dreadful record in this fixture. They have not won any of their last 19 games against Liverpool, drawing five and losing 14, and Liverpool have a strong record specifically at St James’ Park too, with six wins and three draws from their recent visits. Liverpool also arrive with the better pre-season record, winning four of six games, while Newcastle won just two of seven.
Match prediction
This is a genuinely difficult match to call given how unsettled both squads currently look, but Liverpool’s stronger midfield options may ultimately be the deciding factor.
Prediction: Newcastle United 1-3 Liverpool