Liverpool open their new Premier League season with a trip to the northeast to face Newcastle United at St. James' Park on Sunday evening, as they look to get the Andoni Iraola era off to a positive start.
Liverpool finished fifth last season, as the defence of their Premier League title went pear-shaped. It resulted in Arne Slot losing his job, and Iraola taking over. Liverpool have been through an extensive pre-season programme, with six matches -- three in the USA and three back home in Liverpool. They ended that programme with a convincing 2-0 win against Italian side Como at Anfield last weekend, after which Iraola said the confidence of a win and a clean sheet was important heading into the Premier League season.
If Liverpool have had a summer of upheaval, then Newcastle have had even more. Eddie Howe left his role after the start of pre-season, and he's been replaced by German Matthias Jaissle, who has joined from Saudi Pro League club Al Ahli. Personnel wise on the pitch too, Newcastle have undergone a transformation, as they look for a fresh start after a woeful Premier League campaign last season.
Here's everything you need to know about the match.
How to watch:
The match will be available to watch on Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League in the UK, NBC/Peacock in the U.S., JioHotstar in India, and Stan Sport in Australia. You can also follow ESPN's live updates here.
Key Details:
Date, kick-off time:
UK BST: Sunday, Aug. 23, 4.30 p.m.
U.S. ET: Sunday, Aug. 23, 11.30 a.m.
India IST: Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 p.m.
Australia AEST: Monday, Aug. 24, 1.30 a.m.
Venue: St. James' Park, Newcastle, England.
Referee: Stuart Attwell
VAR: James Bell
Injury and Team News
Newcastle United
Joelinton, M: muscle, OUT
Tino Livramento, D: calf, DOUBT
Joe Willock, M: groin, DOUBT
Liverpool
Hugo Ekitike, F: achilles, OUT
Giovanni Leoni, D: knee, OUT
Conor Bradley, D: knee, OUT
Joe Gomez, D: muscle, OUT
Vitezslav Jaros, G: knee, OUT
Expected Lineups
Newcastle United Predicted XI (4-4-2)
Lukás Hornícek
Amar Dedic | Malick Thiaw | Sven Botman | Lewis Hall
Anthony Elanga | Jacob Ramsey | Aladji Bamba | Harvey Barnes
Yoane Wissa | William Osula
Liverpool Predicted XI (4-2-3-1)
Alisson Becker
Jeremie Frimpong | Ronald Araújo | Virgil van Dijk | Milos Kerkez
Dominik Szoboszlai | Ryan Gravenberch
Rio Ngumoha | Florian Wirtz | Cody Gakpo
Alexander Isak
Talking Points
Iraola looks for positive start
It's imperative that Liverpool start well, just to ease some of the tension surrounding the club, and to ensure that Iraola can put his stamp on the side without too much external noise. There's no doubt Liverpool still have some transfer business left to do. Curtis Jones is expected to leave, so will they sign a replacement for him? They still do need an attacking player or two, with no end in sight yet to their protracted pursuit of Bradley Barcola from Paris St. Germain.
Liverpool will have three new signings available for this opener against Newcastle -- Jérémy Jacquet, Ronaldo Araujo, and Víctor Muñoz. It's likely that only one of them will start, with Iraola having to make the choice between Jacquet and Araujo to partner Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the Liverpool defence.
Florian Wirtz, having had a season in the Premier League, is the one Liverpool will look to for inspiration in the final third, while this game will also happen amidst the backdrop of Alexander Isak's return to St. James' Park for the first time since his transfer from Newcastle last summer. Wirtz and Isak lead a Liverpool attack that will have to deliver this season, particularly with one of the main talking points after Iraola's arrival being the return of exciting, front-foot football to Anfield.
How will difficult summer affect Newcastle?
It's not just the manager situation that Newcastle have had to deal with this summer. They've seen some key players depart as well. Anthony Gordon went to Barcelona, Bruno Guimarães went to Arsenal, and Sandro Tonali went to Tottenham Hotspur. Newcastle have signed Aladji Bamba to take up one of the midfield roles vacated by Tonali and Guimarães. But there's much focus on the likes of Yoann Wissa and Nick Woltemade, both of whom arrived last summer, but didn't light it up in their first season.
Much like Iraola for Liverpool, Jaissle wants his teams to play front-foot, attacking football, so we could get an exciting opening weekend clash in this one. However, Newcastle do have some confidence to gain back, with their pre-season having been shaky. They registered only one win in the six games that they played.
What do the numbers say?
Newcastle don't have a win in their last 19 Premier League games against Liverpool.
Liverpool haven't lost in any of their last nine trips to St. James' Park.
Last season, Rio Ngumoha became Liverpool's youngest Premier League goal-scorer, with his 101st minute winner in a 3-2 Liverpool win.
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 13 Premier League season-openers. Their last loss came to West Bromwich Albion in 2012, when they lost 3-0 in Brendan Rodgers' first game in charge.
Andoni Iraola is currently on a run of 18 games unbeaten in the Premier League.