Evening Standard
·4 décembre 2024
Evening Standard
·4 décembre 2024
Reds hoping to maintain or extend their commanding lead at the summit in a fixture they have dominated
The Premier League leaders are out to build on their impressive lead at the top as they travel to St James’ Park tonight. Dominant Liverpool head to Tyneside on the back of seven wins in a row across all competitions that includes back-to-back 2-0 successes over Real Madrid and Manchester City, sitting pretty at the summit both domestically and in the Champions League after an astonishing start to life under Arne Slot.
Their advantage over closest challengers Arsenal and Chelsea is currently nine points and could improve this evening if they ensure another positive result and their rivals slip up. Newcastle, by contrast, have won only two of their last nine in the league and sit down in 11th place after following a shock home defeat by West Ham by conceding a last-gasp equaliser at Crystal Palace amid more pressure facing Eddie Howe.
The omens are very bad indeed for the hosts tonight, with Newcastle having lost all of their last six games against Liverpool. Alexander Isak is at least fit as Jacob Murphy comes in, while Slot makes three changes including dropping Trent Alexander-Arnold to the bench. Follow Newcastle vs Liverpool live below!
Live updates
15 seconds ago
Back underway at St James’ Park.
No changes from either manager just yet.
Same XI for Liverpool and it looks like the same configuration in defence too, with Quansah at right-back and Gomez alongside Van Dijk.
By the way, Trippier misses out for Newcastle tonight through illness.
8 minutes ago
And here’s *that* miss from Gordon that really should have made it 2-0 just a couple of minutes later.
How important might that save from Kelleher turn out to be?
11 minutes ago
Here is that brilliant hit from Isak, who ran right at Van Dijk before drilling home with a shot that clocked in at 70mph...
15 minutes ago
Half-time
A very impressive first half from Newcastle, who deservedly lead at the break after Isak’s belter and really should be further ahead after Gordon’s huge miss.
Liverpool not really at the races so far, sluggish and flat with issues in defence.
Slot may look to change things for the second half.
REUTERS
17 minutes ago
49 mins: Newcastle have a very late first-half corner as Gordon asks more questions of Quansah.
Tonali’s delivery is headed away by Gomez, with Gordon trying to keep the attack alive but the half-time whistle sounds.
20 minutes ago
45 mins: Three minutes of added time signalled at the end of this surprising first half.
Newcastle may be slightly disappointed if they go in at the interval only 1-0 ahead.
They’ve been excellent.
20 minutes ago
44 mins: A third Liverpool player into the book in this first half as Gravenberch is cautioned for dragging back the impressive Joelinton.
Newcastle quickly into the Liverpool box again, but the pass is slightly overhit and Kelleher can intervene.
21 minutes ago
42 mins: It’s target practice for Newcastle at the moment as Gordon looks to try his luck and Joelinton then fires over.
It’s another Newcastle corner, with their midfield three dominating in this first half.
24 minutes ago
40 mins: Robertson concedes another corner with Liverpool still on the ropes, but this time they do manage to clear.
Quansah overruns the ball and then pulls back Bruno Guimaraes, earning himself a booking in the process.
The Gomez/Quansah side of that Liverpool defence is really struggling at the moment.
26 minutes ago
38 mins: Gordon is back on his feet with the officials content that Van Dijk did nothing wrong there.
Liverpool are all over the place at the moment, Mac Allister going down as he tries to receive a pass from Gomez just outside the Liverpool box.
Instead it falls for Murphy, who drills a low shot just wide of the post.
Slot looks furious on the touchline. The leaders are really struggling tonight.