Newcastle United – Liverpool FC
Liverpool visits Newcastle United on Monday in a match that could already be decisive despite the early stage of the season. The Reds are in third place after their 4-2 opening win against Bournemouth and have made a promising start under new coach Arne Slot. Newcastle, on the other hand, are coming off a goalless draw against Aston Villa with mixed feelings. Interestingly, it was a game in which both sets of fans joined forces in a joint protest against the Premier League’s PSR rules. The Magpies had to play without Alexander Isak, who is still pushing for a move and is not in the squad.
The recent history between the two teams is quite revealing. In March, Newcastle triumphed in a surprise 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the League Cup final, but the Reds have clearly dominated the Premier League encounters. Liverpool have won four of the last five league games, with the following striking: The games usually only come to life in the second half, when Liverpool show their class.
Both teams have personnel problems to contend with. Liverpool will be without Jeremie Frimpong, who has suffered a thigh injury. Newcastle are missing Isak, Joe Willock and Matt Targett. Jacob Ramsey could make his debut after his £39 million move from Villa.
- Venue: St. James’ Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
- Date and time: 25.08.2025, 21:00
- Competition: Premier League (Matchday 2)
Newcastle form & record check
The Magpies have had a bumpy start to the new season and find themselves in 15th place after the first matchday. The goalless draw at Aston Villa was symptomatic of their current problems: Newcastle dominated phases of the game but were unable to capitalize on their chances without the missing Alexander Isak.
Interestingly, Newcastle are level on points with several rivals in the lower mid-table. Crystal Palace are just above them, Aston Villa just below, all with one point. At this early stage of the season, such gaps are of course not yet meaningful, but they do show how evenly matched the league is.
The current form is sobering: in the last five competitive games, there has been only one win against Chelsea at the end of May. Two defeats at the end of the season against Arsenal and Everton followed the convincing 2-0 win against the Blues. One might think that the uncertainty surrounding Isak’s future had already begun back then, as the offense has looked toothless ever since.
The statistics from recent performances are remarkable: Newcastle have scored less than 2.5 goals per game in all five matches. There have been no goal sprees of more than 1.5 goals in either the first or second half. This points to fundamental problems in converting chances, especially as the defense is performing quite solidly.
With Isak still sidelined and Willock only recently returned from a calf injury, Eddie Howe has limited options at his disposal. The signing of Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa for £39 million could provide a new impetus, but the timing is extremely unfortunate ahead of the difficult home game against Liverpool.
Newcastle are likely to line up in their usual 4-3-3 formation for their home game against Liverpool, even though the personnel situation poses some challenges for Eddie Howe. It will be particularly interesting in attack, as Alexander Isak is still unavailable. The Swedish striker remains out of the squad, while transfer speculation continues to swirl around a possible move to Liverpool.
In defense, Joe Willock could return from a calf injury, while Matt Targett remains sidelined with a thigh injury. Jacob Ramsey, the new signing from Aston Villa, is likely to play a role in midfield. Anthony Gordon, who played well in the 0-0 draw against Villa, could once again play a central role in attack.
This predicted lineup is based on the available information and the tactical preferences of coach Howe. The final starting XI will be announced shortly before kickoff.
Liverpool Form & Record Check
Liverpool has made a decent start to the new season, sitting third in the table with three points, although the opening game against Bournemouth raised more questions than hoped for. The 4-2 home win was ultimately a tour de force, with the Reds only turning the game around in the closing stages through Chiesa and Salah after Semenyo had given the visitors the lead.
Interestingly, Liverpool have been a team of extremes in their last five games: all of their matches have ended with at least two goals, and most of them with more than three. At the same time, the Reds are scoring consistently, but they are also conceding goals just as regularly. These patterns point to a certain vulnerability in defense that Slot still needs to get to grips with.
New signing Ekitike made a promising impression against Bournemouth with his goal and assist for Gakpo. Chiesa also showed his class immediately after coming on as a substitute with the decisive goal. However, Liverpool already have several players out: Frimpong is out until the international break, while Bradley is only just returning to training.
Tactically, Slot seems to have set his team up to be more offensive, which is reflected in their impressive goal tally. The defensive stability that was at times a hallmark under Klopp, on the other hand, does not yet seem to be established. That could prove to be a problem against Newcastle, especially as the Magpies are usually difficult to play at home.
Liverpool are likely to line up against Newcastle in the tried-and-tested 4-2-3-1 formation that Arne Slot has favored in the first few weeks of the season. However, there could be some changes to the starting lineup as key players are out injured.
Things are particularly tight on the right side of defense: Frimpong is out with a muscle injury and will not return until after the international break. Bradley is back in training but is not yet at 100% after his thigh injury. Calvin Ramsay could therefore get his chance after already making occasional appearances last season.
In attack, Wirtz is likely to play a central role again after making his debut against Bournemouth, where he made a positive impression despite being substituted early on. Ekitiké is likely to retain his place up front after his dream debut, in which he scored and provided an assist. The double six of Endo and Mac Allister seems set, while Salah is untouchable on the right.
H2H Newcastle – Liverpool Head-to-head & Statistics
The last five meetings between Newcastle and Liverpool paint a clear picture: Liverpool dominate with three wins to just one for the Magpies, with one draw. Interestingly, Newcastle managed their only victory in the most important game, the League Cup final in March 2025, winning 2-1.
A striking pattern characterizes these encounters: the first halves are usually uneventful, with less than 1.5 goals scored at the break in all five games. The decisions are regularly made after the break, where Liverpool have an impressive record. The Reds have scored at least one goal in every second half and won four of the last five games after the break.
Newcastle conceded at least one goal in all five encounters, but at least managed to score in three of the last games. The spectacular 3-3 draw in December 2024 stands out, as does Liverpool’s clear 4-2 victory on New Year’s Day 2024. The duels between these two teams therefore promise plenty of entertainment, even if the Reds have mostly had the upper hand recently.
The tip “Under 2.5 goals” is justified by Newcastle’s impressive defensive stability, with all five of the Magpies’ last five games remaining below this goal mark. The absence of Alexander Isak, who normally provides the necessary firepower as Newcastle’s most important goalscorer, is particularly significant.
Interestingly, Liverpool’s away record against Newcastle also shows weaknesses, with the Reds failing to win any of their last three visits to St. James’ Park. The “Double Chance 1X” looks good value at odds of around 3.4 for a home win, especially as Liverpool are without two right-backs in Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley. Arne Slot will have to improvise, which plays into Newcastle’s hands.
The riskiest tip, “Both teams to score: No,” is based on the fact that Newcastle have failed to score in three of their last five games and have even less attacking power without Isak. Although Liverpool’s attack, led by Mohamed Salah, is usually clinical, personnel shortages and Newcastle’s compact approach without their star striker could make for a one-sided goal fest.
