Liverpool v Newcastle: Back Salah to strike again & on-target Isak in 13/8 double | OneFootball

English Premier League

Liverpool's Mo Salah has his eyes on the prize

Liverpool are closing in on the Premier League title, and Kevin Hatchard thinks their star man can shine again at Anfield against Newcastle.

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Liverpool v NewcastleWednesday 26 February, 20:00

Slot machine set to hit the jackpot

When Arne Slot replaced Jürgen Klopp as Liverpool manager, it seemed like a good fit. Both coaches like to be active and aggressive without the ball, both play attacking football, and the team shape was similar. However, that synergy wasn't expected to lead to what could be a season for the ages. Liverpool are 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League, they have reached a League Cup final and they will face PSG in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Liverpool's 2-0 win at Manchester City on Sunday was one of their most impressive displays of the season. After an shaky ten minutes, the Reds took control, and centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate were outstanding. Dominik Szoboszlai was yet again a force of nature in midfield, and Mo Salah scored a goal and made a goal.

Liverpool's Egyptian King is having a truly stellar campaign. Salah has 25 goals in 27 league games, top of the scoring charts. But staggeringly, he also has 16 assists, which means he has a total of 41 goal contributions. The all-time Premier League record for goals and assists combined is 47, set by Andrew Cole and Betfair ambassador Alan Shearer, although those tallies were in 42-game seasons.

Salah could in theory reach the records for Premier League goals (36) and assists (20), and he has now scored in his last six top-flight matches. Salah doesn't fully agree that this is his best campaign to date, but he says he's enjoying helping younger players and pushing for the title. If Liverpool fail to reach a contractual agreement with Salah, and he walks away on a free in the summer, there will be enormous criticism directed at owners FSG.

Defenders Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley are definitely sidelined by injury, but Cody Gakpo could return to the starting line-up after his recent injury problems.

Confusing Newcastle still on track for glory

For the second time in three seasons, Newcastle have reached a cup final, and they could secure Champions League qualification for the second time in three campaigns too. Amidst expectation levels that have boomed since Saudi investment, manager Eddie Howe has serenely guided the Magpies, and it's a mark of his gravitas and ability that he has retained his job since the takeover.

That said, Newcastle do have a capacity for bizarrely ineffectual performances. They were demolished 4-1 at home by Bournemouth, with Howe admitting his team lacked energy. They were also thrashed 4-0 at Manchester City, as Omar Marmoush helped himself to a quickfire hat-trick, and they suffered a deserved 2-1 home defeat to Fulham.

Newcastle have lost three of their last five Premier League matches, but their recent away form is strong, with four wins in the last five. In that run they won at both Manchester United and Tottenham, which admittedly isn't quite the achievement it once was.

If Mo Salah is Liverpool's talisman, Alexander Isak is Newcastle's. The Swedish international now has 21 goals in 30 games, and he netted twice in the weekend's impressive win over Nottingham Forest. His record against Liverpool is impressive, with three goals and an assist harvested from five Premier League clashes.

Joelinton is still missing from the Newcastle midfield because of injury, and centre-back Sven Botman is a doubt. Youngster Lewis Miley is likely to keep his place in midfield after an excellent display against Forest which included a goal.

Salah simply has to be backed

Mo Salah is 10/11 to score here, and given his and Liverpool's current form that seems a generous price. That said, we can be greedier by combining a Salah goal with an Alexander Isak shot on target at 13/8 on the Bet Builder. Isak has a great record against Liverpool, and he has hit the target in 14 of his last 19 Premier League games.

Liverpool have been a bit more obliging defensively of late, and have managed just four clean sheets in their last 14 PL games, and I think Isak will get one or two chances here. All we need him to do is hit the target.

Ex-Toffee to cause a stir

Liverpudlian winger Anthony Gordon always seems fired up when he faces Liverpool, and if you look at the 3-3 draw Newcastle and Liverpool played out earlier this season, he was heavily involved. The former Everton star scored a goal, had five shots and was fouled five times. We can dial down some of those numbers to adjust for the Anfield factor, but I'm happy to back him to have two shots and be fouled twice on the Bet Builder at 7/4.

Gordon has been fouled twice or more in eight of his last 13 Premier League starts, and has had two shots or more in 13 of his last 16 top-flight matches.

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Back Mo Salah to score and Alexander Isak to have a shot on target @ 13/8