From BBC: Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina is expected to replace Brad Jones, having recovered from the hamstring injury that kept him out for four matches. Captain Steven Gerrard will make his 600th appearance for the club. Newcastle striker Demba Ba is doubtful with a calf problem and is rated 50/50 for Sunday's game. The Magpies are again without midfielder Cheick Tiote, who serves the second game of a three-match ban.
More from Beeb: MATCH FACTS Head-to-head Newcastle have not beaten Liverpool at Anfield in the league for more than 18 years since Rob Lee and Andy Cole scored in a 2-0 victory in April 1994 (D2, L15). The Reds have won their last seven home matches against Newcastle. Each of those wins was by at least a two-goal margin. Alan Pardew's first match as Newcastle manager came against Liverpool - a 3-1 home victory in December 2010. Liverpool Liverpool have avoided defeat in their last four Premier League games (W2, D2), their longest unbeaten run in 2012. They are attempting to win successive league matches at Anfield for the first time in 14 months. The Reds have conceded 14 Premier League goals - their worst record at this stage of the season since 1992-93. Steven Gerrard is set to make his 600th appearance for Liverpool in all competitions. Newcastle The Magpies have failed to win their previous eight away games in league and cup (D5, L3). Their last away victory was at Chelsea on 2 May. Demba Ba has scored seven of Newcastle's 11 league goals so far this season. Since 25 February all of Newcastle's league goals have been scored by players whose surnames begin with the letters A, B or C (excluding own goals).
Here's hoping for another 4-3 I dont know if in America they had an alternate to Ceefax but I remember as a kid, when it was impossible to watch every game on tv/online, running around like a mad man as the scores got updated very slowly while listening to it on the radio. Equivalent of eating a litre of sugar is the only way to describe how hyperactive I was during that 90 minutes.
In. Back in '98 when I still lived in Harrogate, N. Yorkshire I walked down to the Shepherd's Dog to watch the Liverpool vs Newcastle match. I was surprised to find my neighbor there as he was a Manc. As a wet behind the ears brand new fan in those days I didn't realize the history of LFC and NUFC putting on goal fests. That match didn't disappoint with young Michael Own netting a hat trick for the Liverpool win. Good stuff. Now I have to drive to find a pub with matches on (and am grateful that it's there) and I hope I have learned a bit since my first days as a supporter. I have learned that I swear an awful lot while watching footy...our pub is R rated for sure when I am there. Let's get the clean sheet theme going again.
Newcastle, well we should be pretty even for this match, we can draw level with them with 3 pts. My optimism is at a pretty low level right now as I go from high to low with each match. I'll be watching and cheering them on though. The cat will go into the basement, he knows...! Harrogate, have some fun memories from there. We used to parachute in the main park there in the 'old' days. They'd put 5 of us into the cage and haul us up 800 feet under a big balloon on a wire. Then toss us out one at a time. Bloody cold blooded way to go. We made up for it at night in the pubs though. Oh what fun.....
No Tiote or Ba, and Newcastle have been outplayed in 7 of their 9 games this year. Anything less than a win is a disappointment. ReinaWisdom Skrtel Agger JohnsonSahin AllenGerrardSuso Suarez Sterling Jones, Enrique, Carragher, Shelvey, Henderson, Downing, Assaidi
That's what happens to most teams, until they come to Anfield. And then the fringe player s play a blinder Nought wrong with your team, although Id' actually prefer a leftie at left-back (Enrique). Reina coming in is a bit hard on Jones but Reina is better with the ball at his feet and will not put us under pressure by launching it up field. But I hope he cuts out the silly individual mistakes ... as should everybody else.
that 4-3 game in '96 was the second liverpool game i watched after deciding they were the club i was going to support. after that match, i was in love.
I'm in. I don't think Johnson will play and Enrique will. Other than that you've got the team sheet right. Hope we play better than on Wednesday.
In for the win & thanks kopite- it was my social experiment to see who would actually start up the thread if I didn't.
Based on recent lineups, this one seems to be it. But I would like to see Assaidi get a start in the league, and keep Suso as an option off the bench. Suso has played decently, but hasn't really had a significant impact on games the way Sterling has. Which is fair, that's not to say I'd bench Suso as any type of punishment - I think right now he's better off the bench. In the couple matches Suso came off the bench he was excellent (I believe it was about a month ago that he made consecutive substitute appearances and contributed an assist just minutes after coming on). I just feel like he is really underutilized as a wide attacker in this system. Not that he's poor there, but his skill set is technique controlling and shielding the ball, tactical awareness, and, very importantly, vision to pick out a pass. I think he's better deployed as an attacking midfielder, but that happens to be Shelvey's best position too. I want to see Assaidi given a chance with the first 11 - I think we'd be a bit more dynamic with a front three of Sterling, Suarez and him.
I actually predicted last week's 2-2 scoreline so hopefully that's a good omen to try again. 2-1 to us, Ba, Suarez, Suarez.
I actually did remember, but you got the translation wrong- Newcastle... Sunday.....meh- can't be assed.
Official: Jones, Wisdom, Enrique, Agger, Skrtel, Sahin, Gerrard, Allen, Suso, Sterling, Suarez. Subs: Gulacsi, Henderson, Assaidi, Carragher, Shelvey, Downing, Coates.