Liverpool (H) – Pre-match thoughts, potential starting 11 and prediction

Olly Hawkins

Our first game of the 2025/26 season is here, and it might just be the biggest.

We’ll have Sunderland to come and matches that may define our push for Europe later in the campaign, but this feels massive for so many reasons and has all the makings of a fierce and frenetic affair under the lights at St James’ Park.

Obviously, we come up against the side sulking striker Alexander Isak is currently pushing to join, but it’s also the first meeting since we beat them at Wembley in March and a chance to finally do our talking on the pitch after months of noise and negativity.

Hugo Ekitike will start for the Reds and, as a club, we’ll be out to prove a point, both as a team and a fanbase. To the arrogance on Merseyside, to spoilt brat Isak and to ourselves, as no player is bigger than the club and this group are still fired up and determined to deliver another big season, even though some continue to write us off.

It’s been a tough summer where so much has gone wrong since our last competitive game at St James’ – a 1-0 defeat to Everton way back in May – but the atmosphere will be something else on Monday night and I’m expecting us to be at it from the off; on the pitch and in the stands.

Predicted line-up

Newcastle XI (4-3-3): Pope – Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento – Bruno, Tonali, Joelinton – Elanga, Gordon, Barnes.

Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson – Szobozslai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez – Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Wirtz – Gakpo, Ekitike, Salah.

Ruled out: Isak (sulking), Frimpong (hamstring).

I think we’ll go with the same side that impressed in our 0-0 draw at Aston Villa last Saturday, as it had all the elements of a solid away win besides that final product where it mattered.

That finishing touch has to improve if we’re to see off a Liverpool side favourites to win the title once again, but they looked open defensively in that 4-2 win over Bournemouth on the opening day, are lacking fit right-backs and will be up against a front three full of pace and energy in Elanga, Gordon and Barnes, if that’s what Howe goes for once again.

The midfield picks itself and so may the back four, for now, with Burn and Schar man mountains at Villa, making Botman and Thiaw wait despite the belief they will be our future pairing at centre-back.

Hall is still edging his way back to match sharpness after almost six months out and will be our starting left-back soon, but Livramento is the ideal man to look after Salah, as he showed in March’s cup final.

I wouldn’t rule out a 3-5-2, seeing Botman come in for Barnes, allowing an electric front two of Gordon and Elanga, although I still think Howe will favour a 4-3-3, hoping Burn and Schar will be enough to keep Ekitike quiet after the pair pocketed Watkins last weekend.

Regardless of Howe’s starting 11, our bench will be much stronger. Jacob Ramsey could be a difference maker against tiring legs late on and we’ll also have Murphy in reserve should Elanga get the nod again.

Match prediction

My heart is saying a 3-2 win and my head says a high scoring draw. Either way, we can expect a full-blooded affair and a few goals, with the last league meeting at St James’ Park a 3-3 draw.

The atmosphere should drive the players on, giving us that 12th man in a game where Liverpool will have the quality edge in attack, but our midfield three is a match for anyone in world football on their day; they just have to keep their heads.

Gravenberch’s return should add some steel to Liverpool’s engine room, but I still back us to win that battle. The question is, can we keep their star attack quiet and show the final product we were sorely lacking last weekend at the other end?

Gordon to score from that false nine role, Joelinton to whip up the crowd within the first 10 minutes with a crunching tackle and both sides to share a point in a St James’ Park classic.

Prediction: Newcastle 2-2 Liverpool

Howay the lads!

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

View all posts by Olly Hawkins →

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44 thoughts on “Liverpool (H) – Pre-match thoughts, potential starting 11 and prediction”

  2. I, on the other hand, predict a low-scoring game. Without a striker we might get a goal, but I think two or three is pushing it. But I also think we can restrict them as well as any team in the league, so ideally 1-0 to us, but would not be surprised by 1-1 or even a 2-1loss.

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  3. I love that you put Sulking next to Isak. Although it is only slightly more ridiculous than Wilsons *** strain (official medical term) and Ecsma.

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  4. IF we can keep them out I do think their defence can be got at – especially with pace. Their full backs push up & I think Elanga gets in behind Kerkez. Can Barnes get at Gomez or Bradley?! He’ll need to do better than he did against Villa.

    Gordon hasn’t got the physicality to compete with VVD or Konte so we have to be smart – and clinical. We won’t get a lot of chances so we have to put them away if we get a chance.

    Agree with Prem. Low scoring and sadly I think their quality up front could be the difference.

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  5. Too much emotion will be our undoing and lack of goal scorer I fear, hope I’m wrong.
    Need cool heads from fans and team tomorrow, no sendings off or giving away pens please.
    I do fancy us to score just think they’ll get more.

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  6. I fear a red! A red card that is. There will be so much agro in this match, I hope players like Bruno and Joelinton can keep their heads. The ref will be itching to send off any of our players and itching to give the bin dippers a penalty or two. We appeared toothless against Villa. Somehow we need to find some goals. Maybe Osula could be our wild card. They won’t know what to expect. What formation did we use for the cup final? I cannot remember, but it worked. Was that a 5-3-2? I think we could get stuffed if we are not careful.

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  7. Gilly – aye my mate just asked predictions for tonight and a red card was all I could come up with 🤷🏼‍♂️.

    The thing I love about this team though is with players like Burn, Tonali & Gordon – they have a brilliant mentality and lift the rest of the team. They will also want to make the point to Isak that we can beat the team he is so desperate to get it 💪🏻.

    I think we can get at their defence, it whether we can finish our chances better than we did against Villa – and can we limit their chances.

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  8. There is no one up front with the height to combat Van Dijk.
    Got to hope that our training sessions last week were all about putting low crosses into the box area with Gordon and our midfield trio running onto them.

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  10. £50m bid rejected for Strand Larsen – which we knew coz all the talk has been a £60m valuation for the lad. But that’s just told Brentford we have the money for Wissa, just not prepared to bid what they want for him. We’re about £10m shy for both Strand Larsen & Wissa – wasn’t that how we operated under Ashley??

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  11. I think we just have to accept that we will overpay for any striker that we want. We absolutely cannot go into this next season, playing in 4 competitions, without a recognised striker. Strand Larsen though is younger and with Eddies coaching I can see him gaining in value. Wissa will not. But may be able to offer more goals. 🤷🏻‍♂️

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  12. This commentary and pundits is going to be so absolutely biased towards the bin dippers … Carragher in the studio… is there a more despicable “pundit”?

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  22. What did I say? F.king moron Gordon. Wasted chances, go a goal down and then he gets himself sent off like that. Now who the F is going to play centre forward?

    We are stuffed now 😡🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

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  23. Right sell Isak tomorrow that ***** has cost us 2 games already by not being available , go out and get a couple of forwards in or we will end up in a relegation battle.
    No point dominating teams if you don’t score, how many games are we going to play like this to end up pointless.

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  24. I just knew we’d get a red … it was just written all over this game. 🤬🤬

    Now we must get in 2 strikers, no matter what the cost. 😡

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  25. So angry right now, there was no need to fly in like that, we had the better of them until that sucker punch all we had to do was get to half time and regroup.

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  28. Another thing Gravenberch tackle on Bruno from behind looked as much a red as Gordons did to me.

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  35. Willlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
    Told you there was a player in there

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  42. Gutted! Absolutely gutted. Cannot believe we left the kid totally unmarked. Definitely deserved a point from that game.

    Oh, and what about our player getting wrestled to the ground in the penalty area. Manure got a penalty for that yesterday. Nothing for us. 🤬.

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  44. Crushed but what a game!!!

    We have a proper team now – fight to the death!!.

    Stupid challenge from Gordon and only complicates our forward situation even more 🤦🏼‍♂️!!

    Hope Tonali & Joe aren’t too bad – think Schar will be fine.

    Any player we are interested in must fancy a piece of what we saw tonight – gonna be an interesting week.

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