Liverpool will host Newcastle United this Saturday and Steve Bruce needs his key players to perform in order for his team to stand a chance.
The fifth weekend of Premier League action is upon us now that the international break has concluded. For the second time at this early stage in the season, Newcastle United will be facing an elite club on the road. The Magpies managed to stun Tottenham in London a few weeks ago, but Liverpool is a major step up as they are true title contenders.
Jurgen Klopp’s side is the only team in the league that has won every game to start the season and they will look to maintain their early advantage over Manchester City with a win against Newcastle United. That being said, both teams will deploy strong lineups, but who from each team should we keep a special eye on?
Newcastle United: Joelinton
The pressure to perform at an elite level will rest on Joelinton’s shoulders in every game this season as a result of being the club’s record signing (£40m). The Brazilian has gotten off the mark with a goal against Tottenham, but one goal in every four games is insufficient. He’s had some great chances to score multiple goals this season, but he needs to be on target this weekend if Newcastle United want to earn a positive result.
The Reds will dominate the possession stats, so the Magpies’ chances will be limited. Knowing that, though, Joelinton needs to show that he can have a major impact by creating something out of nothing on the rare occasion when Newcastle United press forward on the counter-attack.
Liverpool: Adrian
The former West Ham keeper was thrown into the starting role after Alisson went down with an injury on opening day. Adrian has six seasons of Premier League experience under his belt, but he isn’t the most reliable keeper. Over the course of his career in England, Adrian has made 129 appearances, but has conceded 170 goals and has only claimed 36 clean sheets.
Adrian is expected to have a comfortable afternoon between the sticks, but Newcastle United do have some quality players who can cause problems, especially from distance. Liverpool are solid in every position, especially in defense, but a few mistakes from Adrian can keep Newcastle United in this game. One costly mistake from Adrian gave Southampton a chance to steal a point against Liverpool a few weeks, so he is a big “X” factor.
Newcastle United: Isaac Hayden
Isaac Hayden is an infamous midfielder in the Premier League, but he has been in top form for Newcastle United since the second half of last season. The 23-year-old has an unwavering work ethic on and off the ball. His constant pressing often forces some wasteful passes from defenders, and his ability to win the ball back almost always triggers a dangerous counter-attack from midfield. If Hayden can maintain his good run of form, Newcastle United can keep this game much closer than most people think.
Liverpool: Jordan Henderson
Liverpool’s captain will have a major role to play in Saturday’s game, both physically and mentally. After playing for England over the international break, Klopp will be hoping his skipper will not suffer from fatigue. Seeing that both games were in England, fatigue should not be a major problem. However, Henderson will be tasked with ensuring that his teammates don’t undermine Newcastle United. Liverpool have a Champions League clash with Napoli next Tuesday, so it will be interesting to see if Henderson can serve as a true leader on the pitch and keep his side focused on the task at hand on Saturday against an inferior opponent.