At St. James’ Park, on Monday, August 25, the highly anticipated Monday Match of Premier League Matchday 2 takes place between Newcastle and Liverpool, two teams meeting again after last March’s EFL Cup final. The hosts started their league campaign with a goalless draw away at Aston Villa, a tough ground to earn a point from. The Magpies suffered from the absence of Isak, scorer of 23 goals in last season’s Premier League, who is now on the verge of a transfer to Liverpool in the coming days. The Swedish striker has already asked to leave, with the Reds ready to splash €160 million to bring him in, though Newcastle’s board is still reluctant to part ways with their most prolific forward. On the pitch, Eddie Howe’s men showed in last March’s EFL Cup final that they can beat the Reds, although Arne Slot’s side has changed a lot since then. Liverpool, as shown by their record-breaking bid for Isak, have already spent over €300 million to reinforce the squad with the likes of Ekitiké, Frimpong, Wirtz, Kerkez, and the young Italian defender Leoni. Ironically, despite all the new attacking talent, it was Federico Chiesa who decided the first league match against Bournemouth, coming off the bench at 2-2 before Salah sealed the 4-2 win for the Reds. Given the circumstances and the tension surrounding the Isak affair, we can expect a fiery battle at St. James’ Park: Newcastle will chase their first league win, while Liverpool look to avenge their cup defeat and secure another three points in defense of their Premier League crown.

Newcastle's recent form and key stats

Newcastle’s league debut last weekend followed the same trend of their pre-season, with a 0-0 away draw at Aston Villa. The Magpies are going through a difficult spell, as they haven’t won a game – competitive or friendly – since the 2-0 victory against Chelsea on May 11.

Home advantage could prove crucial, as Newcastle have won six of their last seven home matches in the Premier League. After missing the opener against Aston Villa, striker Alexander Isak is likely to be left out again due to ongoing transfer rumors linking him to Liverpool. That means the attacking responsibilities will once more fall on Anthony Gordon.

Liverpool's recent form and key stats

After losing the Community Shield final on penalties to Crystal Palace, Liverpool bounced back with a 4-2 victory over Bournemouth in their league opener. The Reds are still searching for defensive balance, having conceded two goals per game so far. In attack, however, they are already firing, with six goals scored in their first two outings of the season.

Away from home, the Premier League champions ended last season with just one win in four, losing the other three. To be fair, Arne Slot’s men had already secured the title by then. The Dutch coach, who will be without Frimpong, regains Ryan Gravenberch in midfield – a key player who can provide balance to the whole team.

Newcastle vs Liverpool prediction and tactical overview

Even without their most prolific striker, Newcastle vs Liverpool is certainly one of the most exciting fixtures of Premier League Matchday 2.

Looking at the last ten head-to-heads (seven Liverpool wins, one for Newcastle, and two draws), seven of them saw both teams scoring and six featured at least three goals. The last meeting, in the 2024/25 EFL Cup final, ended with a 2-1 Newcastle win thanks to goals from Burn and Isak.

Being only the second league game of the season, both sides are expected to go all-in for the three points. Liverpool’s star-studded attack should take control of the game, but Newcastle will surely threaten, taking advantage of the Reds’ defensive fragility under Van Dijk and company.

• Newcastle vs Liverpool prediction from BetMines suggests that both teams will score at least one goal with a 63% probability.
  
  
• Newcastle vs Liverpool prediction from BetMines also suggests that at least one of the two teams will fail to score with a 37% probability.

Probable lineups Newcastle vs Liverpool

NEWCASTLE (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Bruno Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes. Coach: Eddie Howe.

LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike. Coach: Arne Slot