Can Liverpool clinch their first Premier League win of 2026 against Newcastle?

Liverpool continue their hunt for a first Premier League win of 2026 as Newcastle United visit Anfield for Saturday’s Premier League clash.

Liverpool battered Qarabag FK 6-0 in the Champions League league-phase finale as they secured their spot in the last 16 of the competition.

However, the Reds succumbed to a last-gasp 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth last time out in the Premier League.

Newcastle were held to a 1-1 draw at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday, securing a playoff spot in the competition.

The Magpies fell to a 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa in their last Premier League outing.

Match preview

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 18 Premier League games against Newcastle (W13 D5), since a 2-0 away loss in December 2015.

Newcastle have failed to win any of their last 29 Premier League away games against Liverpool (D5 L24), their joint-longest winless run against an opponent in their league history (also 29 at Man Utd between 1973 and 2012).

The Reds are looking to complete the Premier League double over Newcastle for the 12th time – it would be the most they’ve done so against a specific opponent in the competition (currently 11, joint with West Ham).

Liverpool are winless in their last five Premier League games (D4 L1), last having a longer run in a single season between November and January in 2002/03 (11 under Gérard Houllier). Liverpool could fail to win each of their opening six league fixtures of a calendar year for the first time since 1954 (first 10) – the last year in which they were relegated.

Since beating Bournemouth 4-2 on the opening weekend, Arne Slot’s side haven’t scored more than twice in any of their last 10 Premier League home games.

Only Sunderland (7) and Wolves (7) have failed to score in more Premier League away games than Newcastle this season (6). 70% of the Magpies’ away goals this term (7/10) have come in their two wins on the road (4-1 v Everton, 3-1 v Burnley).

No side has scored more goals in the final 15 minutes of Premier League games this season than Liverpool (13), while only Bournemouth (13) have conceded more in this time frame than Newcastle (12).

Against no side has Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah been involved in more Premier League goals than he has against Newcastle (19 – 10 goals, 9 assists). An assist in this match will see him become the first player in Premier League history to record double figures for both goals and assists against an opponent.

Team news

Liverpool

Jeremie Frimpong was forced off with a hamstring injury in the Qarabag win, and he’s unavailable.

The Dutchman joins Alexander Isak, Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni on the host’s infirmary list.

Newcastle United

Captain Bruno Guimaraes could return to the squad after an ankle injury kept him out of action.

However, Tino Livramento, Joelinton, Fabian Schar and Emil Krafth are all sidelined with injuries.

Predicted line-ups

Liverpool: Alisson Becker, Wataru Endo, Ibrahima Konaté, Virgil van Dijk, Milos Kerkez, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitiké.

Newcastle United: Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier, Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman, Lewis Hall, Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali, Jacob Ramsey, Anthony Elanga, Yoane Wissa, Anthony Gordon.