Alan Pardew and Brendan Rodgers are friends dating from the days when Liverpool’s manager served as Pardew’s youth team coach at Reading. Delighted as Rodgers has been to see his pal dodge the sack as Newcastle have, against all odds, won three consecutive games, he could do with a victory in what his Newcastle counterpart deems one of this division’s most “romantic” fixtures. If all eyes are on Mario Balotelli, a key sub-plot could revolve around the performances of rival wingers Raheem Sterling and Rolando Aarons. Louise Taylor
Kick-off Saturday 3pm
Venue St James Park
Last season Newcastle Utd 2 Liverpool 2
Live BT Sport 1
Referee A Marriner
This season G2, Y10, R0, 5.0 cards per game
Odds H 14-5 A 1-1 D 14-5
Newcastle United
Subs from Elliot, Williamson, Anita, Haïdara, Abeid, Rivière, Pérez, R Taylor, Ameobi, Armstrong
Doubtful Cissé (knee), Williamson (knock)
Injured Tioté (calf, 9 Nov), Santon (knee, 22 Nov), De Jong (thigh, 21 Dec)
Suspended None
Form LDLDWW
Discipline Y18 R1
Leading scorer Cissé 4
Liverpool
Subs from Jones, Johnson, Henderson, Lallana, Coutinho, Markovic, Touré, Lambert, Lucas
Doubtful None
Injured Enrique (knee, 8 Nov), Sakho (thigh, 8 Nov), Sturridge (calf, 23 Nov), Flanagan (knee, Dec), Suso (groin, Dec)
Suspended None
Form LLDWWD
Discipline Y18 R0
Leading scorer Sterling 3
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