Despite the defeat against the Champions of Practically Everything and a whirlwind of a week on social media, the Magpies are ready and raring to go again! This week, we are back at home facing the Reds from the North West. No, not the Devils. The Reds in the Europa League. With as much fighting spirit as an Eddie Howe team talk, Lee Forster has your matchday preview covered’

Liverpool, St. James’ Park

Sunday 27th August, 4:30PM

Live on SKY SPORTS

Firstly, I want you to cast your mind back and recall EXACTLY how you felt in the immediate aftermath of the following events…

Wednesday 31st August 2022, c.11.55PM: Approximately 123 minutes into injury time, F’bio Carvalho crashes the ball into the roof of Nick Pope’s net, condemning NUFC to their first defeat of the season. Turkey teeth and his prick of an Assistant (Pepijn Lijnders) celebrate in front of Eddie and Mad Dog in a maniacal, aggressive, borderline rabid manner.

Saturday 18th February 2023, 5:52PM: With Mohammed Salah bearing down on him, Nick Pope has an utter head-fuck moment and inexplicably handles a ball that is closer to the dugouts than his penalty area. This ultimately condemning us to only our second defeat of the season (at that stage), and Pope securing himself to a place in the stands at Wembley a week later.

Painful memories, you will agree. It’s safe to say both of last season’s defeats to this mob left a sour taste.

You will also recall that we could arguably have been two-nil up at their spot barring a debatable (at best) VAR call, before Firmino brought them back into the game and they nabbed their ‘injury time’ winner. Whilst at St. James’ Park, we looked the better team despite being reduced to 10 men for 70 minutes; an outcome that could have been so different had ASM or Burn’s efforts not come back off the woodwork, or if Wilson had buried his chance at the Gallowgate end…

Forgive me for the depressing start to the preview, but these are shitty, painful memories. They should be harnessed and used as motivation by Howe, the players, and everyone of a Black-and-White persuasion this Sunday afternoon, as the once likeable, but now utterly detestable, Jurgen Klopp and his charges head for Barrack Road.

Make no bones about it, Newcastle United were better than Liverpool last season: 4 more points, 4 fewer defeats, 14 fewer goals conceded, and a superior goal difference do not lie. However, the ingrained ‘victim’ mentality of Klopp and the Kopites would see them argue that because of last season’s victories over us, they were more deserving of a place in this year’s Champions League draw. Utter bollocks…

Therefore, this weekend presents a chance to remind the red half of Merseyside why we are in said Champions League draw next Thursday afternoon. Meanwhile, they must kick their heels and wait to be drawn against the likes of Brei’ablik (yes, they are real team) in Friday’s Europa League draw.

That being said, this summer has seen Liverpool replace an ageing midfield with a new and improved shiny one, meaning any victory will be hard-earned on Saturday evening.

Despite having a ceiling lower than a Southend’s overdraft facility, they have managed to spunk over ‘100m on the now ‘unsuspended’ (surprise, surprise) World Cup winner Alexis MacAllister, and the much sought after Dominic Szoboszlai (try saying that with a scouse accent). Both excellent additions to an already talented squad.

Also, a front-three made up from Salah, Nunez, Diaz and then Gakpo in midfield will mean that our back-five will, of course, have to be ‘at it.’ However, it is in their final third where this Mag firmly believes we can cause them some serious damage. Our pace down the flanks can pin back and nullify their marauding full backs, and I am confident that Isak (or Wilson) will get plenty of change from the waning Van Dijk, and the cumbersome Konate.

Add to that, the threat of Tonali, Joelinton and a (rightly) fucking furious Bruno running at a Liverpool back-line deprived of a quality number 6 to protect them, means there is no reason why Saturday shouldn’t go some way to erasing the memories I so painfully reminded you of above.

NB: Freeman Mag says he’d drop Bruno but then he is a gobshite, whereas Eddie Howe is a proven football genius.

I expect United to be unchanged for a third consecutive game. Eddie trusts this group and will allow them the opportunity to get us back-on-track. Whilst we didn’t play particularly poorly at the Etihad, Howe and several of his players have acknowledged that we were also way off our best. We were simply meh. Despite this, we still walked away from a game against the best club side I have seen in my lifetime without our goal difference taking a hiding… I’ll take that.

These are different times on Barrack Road though. Despite ultimately being defeated, we headed to the home of the European Champions with hope… Imagine that less than 24 months ago? However, this Sunday, we should head to the Gallowgate with far more than hope: this is a Liverpool team in transition, a team that is there to be beaten. Should the 12th of August version of Newcastle United turn up, I expect us to do just that.

I’m predicting a 2-1 win with Isak troubling the scorers (anytime) at 19/1, with the scoreline not reflecting the comfortable nature of the result as Eddie & Co silence their Social Media critics.

HWTL!!!

NB: As we take our seats on Sunday afternoon, we would all do well to remember the vitriolic abuse directed at our squad by as they departed the Anfield pitch last season. Use that memory on Sunday. Let’s get into these, on-and-off the pitch.

Lee Forster

@LeeDForster