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Eddie Howe will be aiming to reverse Newcastle United's struggles away from home as they prepare to face Premier League contenders Liverpool at Anfield in the first English top-flight game of 2024 on Monday.
Newcastle faced a disappointing Boxing Day defeat when former player Chris Wood netted an impressive hat-trick, leading Nottingham Forest to a surprising 3-1 win at St. James' Park. Despite Alexander Isak's early penalty goal, Newcastle conceded three, extending their poor away form, with just one win in their last 11 games on the road. This downturn has seen Howe's team drop to ninth place in the league after a record-breaking 8-0 win against Sheffield United in October.
Struggling with injuries, Newcastle faces a tough period, with several key players like Nick Pope, Harvey Barnes, Joe Willock, Jacob Murphy, Elliot Anderson, and Matt Targett sidelined, while Sandro Tonali remains suspended due to a gambling-related ban.
In contrast, Liverpool continues to compete closely with Arsenal at the top of the Premier League. They currently sit two points ahead of Arsenal after Matchday 19, with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Burnley. However, their early-season title charge has been hampered by injuries to players like Andy Robertson, Thiago Alcântara, Joël Matip, Stefan Bajcetic, and Kostas Tsimikas. Alexis Mac Allister might return from a knee issue for the upcoming match against Newcastle.
Liverpool's attacking lineup is competitive, with Diogo Jota, Darwin Núñez, and Luís Diaz vying for positions alongside Mohamed Salah, who is on the brink of scoring his 150th Premier League goal for Liverpool, a milestone achieved by only a few players in the league's history.
Liverpool have been dominant against Newcastle lately, winning their last five Premier League matches and remaining unbeaten in 14 encounters since a defeat in December 2015. Newcastle hasn't fared well at Anfield either, without a win in their last 27 Premier League away games against Liverpool since their initial victory in April 1994. This streak ranks among the longest winless away runs in the competition, only surpassed by Everton's ongoing 28-game winless streak at Chelsea.
Even if Liverpool concedes first, they've managed to come back and win 10 Premier League games against Newcastle, making them the team with the most victories after conceding first in the competition's history. In the recent reverse fixture this season, Liverpool secured a 2-1 win at St. James' Park despite Virgil van Dijk's early dismissal, thanks to a Darwin Núñez brace. While Anthony Gordon scored the opener in their August clash, the last Newcastle player to score home and away Premier League goals against Liverpool in a single season was Alan Shearer back in 1999-00.
Liverpool faced missed opportunities in their intense match against Arsenal before Christmas, and a similar situation almost occurred in their game at Turf Moor. Despite Darwin Nunez's superb goal for the opposing team, Liverpool couldn't convert several chances. Even with two disallowed goals, including one contentious decision involving Mohamed Salah, Vincent Kompany's team couldn't take advantage. In the end, Diogo Jota's last-minute goal secured a win for Liverpool in a closely contested match.
Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott saw their goals disallowed at Turf Moor, with Salah's offside position affecting the latter goal, a decision Klopp criticized as "insane." As of now, Liverpool holds the top spot after Arsenal's unexpected loss to West Ham United. However, whether they maintain this position into the New Year is uncertain. Arsenal could reclaim the lead by defeating Fulham on New Year's Eve. Aston Villa could also theoretically take the top spot with an unlikely massive win against Burnley.
Although Liverpool's recent home performances have seen a dip after a streak of 11 wins, their strong history on New Year's Day offers optimism. Not since 2005 have they suffered a defeat on this day, winning four and drawing one of their last five fixtures.
On one side, the Newcastle team hopes for a fresh start in the New Year to revive their struggling team, facing issues with staffing and performance. They recently faced a setback in their match against Nottingham Forest, where Chris Wood's impressive hat-trick stole the show after Alexander Isak's initial penalty goal for Newcastle.
Apart from notable wins against Manchester United and Fulham at home, December hasn't been great for Newcastle. They currently hold a ninth position in the table, but they can't slip further down for now.
While their upcoming schedule might not seem as challenging after their European departure, Newcastle faces matches against Aston Villa and Manchester City, plus an exciting FA Cup third-round match against Sunderland.
Before focusing on the Sunderland clash, Newcastle aims to break their four-game losing streak away from home. Their immediate challenge lies in facing Liverpool at Anfield, where they experienced a loss last season and a subsequent defeat at home in August.
