'Extremely optimistic and little naive' - Jamie Carragher dismisses notion of Newcastle and Liverpool rivalry

Jamie Carragher believes Newcastle United are experiencing a reality check ahead of their New Year’s Day clash against Liverpool.

The Magpies finished above Jurgen Klopp’s side last season to secure Champions League qualification. An 11-game unbeaten run was not enough for the Reds to finish in the top four as Newcastle booked their place in Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since 2003.

However, Newcastle have since been knocked out at the Champions League group stage and will arrive into their clash at Anfield having lost six of their last seven games in all competitions. Carragher believes that a phenomenal campaign for Eddie Howe’s side, last time around, has created an “unfair perception” of what success looks like for the Magpies.

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“Newcastle’s trip to Anfield on Monday is a reminder of how tough it is to sustain a position near the top of the Premier League,” Carragher said in his Daily Telegraph column. “Liverpool’s surprisingly horrendous 2022-23 season is a key reason why Newcastle finished in the top four. There was always the likelihood Liverpool would recover with a few good signings.

“The idea that Newcastle could immediately catapult themselves to the level of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and a fearsome new rivalry would develop was extremely optimistic and a little naive. A peculiarity of all the most recent high-profile, mega billionaire takeovers is how quickly new owners seem to have Liverpool in their sights.”

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