Key events
It’s all change at Stamford Bridgewhere Chelsea have made it 2-2 with 20 minutes to play. You can follow what is likely to be an eventful climax with Billy Munday.
Team news
Milos Kerkez and Ibrahima Konate return to the Liverpool in place of Andy Robertson and the injured Jeremie Frimpong. The rest of the team is the same as against Qarabag in midweek.
Eddie Howe, who picked a bespoke Newcastle team in Paris on Wednesday, recalls Harvey Barnes, Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier in place of Sven Botman, Nick Woltemade and Lewis Miley. Bruno Guimaraes hasn’t made the squad.
Liverpool (possible 4-2-3-1) Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekiti.
Subs: Mamardashvili, Endo, Chiesa, Jones, Robertson, Nyoni, Ramsay, Nallo, Ngumoha.
Newcastle (possible 4-3-3) Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Ramsey, Tonali, Willock; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes.
Subs: Ramsdale, Botman, Wissa, J Murphy, Woltemade, A Murphy, Shahar, Miley.
Referee Simon Hooper.
Liverpool and Newcastle could be given a boost before kick-off. In the early evening game, fifth-placed Chelsea are 2-0 down at home to West Ham. Billy Munday has the latest.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Liverpool v Newcastle at Anfield. It’s a Premier League game whose context is provided almost exclusively by the Champions League. It’s the most moreish competition in world football, so you can understand why these teams are desperate for more – both this season and next.
Liverpool and Newcastle finished third and twelfth in the league stage of Europe’s big competition – yet they are currently only the sixth and tenth best teams in England, which means a dogfight to qualify for another crack in 2026-27. Perhaps Snakes and Ladders is a better metaphor: Newcastle will jump four places and go above Liverpool if they win tonight.
There’s a fair way to go in the Premier League season, 14 games apiece after tonight, so it’s not a must-win game. But it’s a pretty important one.
Kick off 8pm.
