Liverpool will play the first Premier League game of 2024 on Monday night when they host Newcastle United at Anfield.
Goals from Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota earned a 2-0 win at Burnley on Boxing Day and following Arsenal's 2-0 defeat to West Ham United two days later, that ensured the Reds ended the last game week sitting top of the Premier League. Now at the halfway point of the 2023-24 campaign, Liverpool kick-off the second half of the season when they take on Newcastle.
The last meeting between the two sides saw Nunez come off the bench and score twice to help the 10-men Reds to an impressive 2-1 win at St James' Park. So can Jurgen Klopp's men repeat the trick start 2024 with three points? Let's take a look.
To complete this simulation, we used EA FC 24 and updated the squads with the latest injuries and suspensions.
We predict that Liverpool could line up in a 4-3-3 formation, with their starting XI as follows: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez; Szoboszlai, Endo, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo.
We predict that Newcastle could set up in a 4-3-3 formation, with their line-up as follows:Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Livramento; Miley, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Almiron, Isak, Gordon.
Newcastle caught Liverpool slacking in the opening stages as they created a few chances. The Reds were lucky not to fall behind after seven minutes when Anthony Gordon's cutback was fired onto the crossbar by Lewis Miley. But the early chances for the Magpies seemed to awaken their opponents, and minutes later, Liverpool took the lead.
As the Reds countered the visitors following a turnover in possession, Curtis Jones found Nunez who isolated the last man
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