St James' Park is set to host a potentially fiery encounter between Newcastle United and Liverpool, with kickoff scheduled for 8pm (19:00 GMT). The match is further intensified by the ongoing transfer saga surrounding Newcastle's star striker, Alexander Isak.
Liverpool's interest in Isak has been a major talking point, with a reported £110 million bid rejected earlier in the month. The Swedish striker has reportedly voiced his discontent with Newcastle for allegedly breaking promises, even hinting at his desire to join the defending Premier League champions. Due to the transfer speculation, Isak has been training separately from the Newcastle squad and will not be playing.
Newcastle enters the match after a goalless draw against Aston Villa in their season opener, a result that has left them eager to secure their first win. Meanwhile, Liverpool started their title defense with a 4-2 victory over Bournemouth.
Manager Arne Slot faces a selection dilemma in defense due to an injury to summer signing Jeremie Frimpong. Options to replace Frimpong include Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez, although both lack match sharpness. Slot might consider playing Wataru Endo or Dominik Szoboszlai out of position at right-back.
Ryan Gravenberch is set to return to Liverpool's starting lineup after missing the Community Shield and the opening game against Bournemouth. Curtis Jones will also start. Liverpool is expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Ekitike leading the attack after scoring a goal and providing an assist against Bournemouth. Salah will start on the right wing, with Wirtz in the middle and Gakpo on the left. Gravenberch and Szoboszlai are likely to form the defensive midfield pairing.
Newcastle's new signing Ramsey is on the bench for the clash against Liverpool. Other substitutes include Hall, Thiaw, Botman, Willock, Miley, Murphy, and Osula.
Florian Wirtz, Liverpool's record signing from Bayer Leverkusen, has spoken about his move to Anfield, highlighting the challenge and the special atmosphere at the club. He described the feeling of hearing "You'll Never Walk Alone" as something that gives you extra energy before the game.
With Isak's absence, Newcastle will need to find a way to unlock Liverpool's defense, while Liverpool will aim to capitalize on their attacking firepower. The match promises to be a tactical battle with both teams vying for an important early-season victory.
