Liverpool-Newcastle United Preview


With trophy in their collective hands, Liverpool are set to officially close out their historic Premier League championship season.

Liverpool end this special campaign at St James' Park against Newcastle United on Sunday.

Whilst the Reds (31-3-3) have been celebrating their first Premier League title for some time now, it will officially go in the books Sunday evening when this unprecedented top-flight campaign finally comes to an end. For Liverpool, the pride to finish strong is obviously one means of motivation, but also they have a chance to become the second team in Premier League history to post at least 99 points for a season.

Liverpool currently sit on 96.

"We will stay greedy, we have to and we will," manager Jurgen Klopp told Liverpool's official website. "We will not change our attitude, we will try to improve the attitude. We try to improve everything.

"If you really make a cut when the season is finished on Sunday, enjoy it, be happy 100 percent and then mid-August, we start training again. From that moment on, we will try it again with all we have and nothing will hold us back."

It's uncertain what Klopp's starting XI will look like on Sunday. Mo Salah and Sadio Mane have combined for 36 goals during the Premier League season, but it will remain to be seen what's in store for them this weekend. Mane recorded a brace before halftime and Salah scored after the brake during Liverpool's 3-1 home victory over Newcastle in the reverse fixture on Sept. 14.

The Reds have won four straight amidst a 4-2-0 league stretch against Newcastle (11-11-15), who are 13th in the table without any chance of moving up. Of course, the Magpies are safe for another Premier League season. Which is all that really matters at this point.

Newcastle, though, would like to end the season on a strong note by ending an 0-2-3 since winning 4-1 at Bournemouth on July 1. They did manage to halt a three-match league losing streak with a scoreless draw against Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this week.

"It's been up and down," midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, who has six goals over all competitions, told NUFC TV. "It is was what it is. It's nice to finish with a home match…We just want to give the fans something positive to come back to (for next season)."

Jetro Williams scored the lone goal for Newcastle in the September loss at Liverpool.