Newcastle – Liverpool Preview: Rodgers begins life without suspended Suarez

Jonas Gutiérrez / Newcastle

Jonas Gutiérrez / Newcastle

Newcastle continue to be plagued by injury concerns, with Tim Krul (shoulder) and Sylvain Marveaux (hamstring) both set to miss out.

Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini has returned to training following a back injury but this match will come too soon for the Argentine.

Alan Pardew has received a boost as Papiss Cisse and Cheikh Tiote are both set to start against Liverpool.

Tiote’s return means James Perch is likely to drop to the bench, though Alan Pardew is likely to retain the rest of the starting eleven which earned a 1-1 draw against West Brom last Saturday.

For Liverpool, Brendan Rodgers’ begins life without Luis Suarez after the Uruguay international was handed a 10-match suspension for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic.

Daniel Sturridge, who scored and assisted Suarez’s equaliser against Chelsea last Sunday, is likely to start in attack.

Fabio Borini has returned to training and could return to the squad for the first time since he dislocated his shoulder against Swansea in February.

  • The Magpies finished 16th that season and currently sit in the same position this season, having only managed one win in their last seven Premier League games.
  • Newcastle United have used 32 different players – the most of any Premier League side this season.
  • Before their 3-0 home defeat against Sunderland, Papiss Cisse (pictured right) had scored in five successive home games, with three of those five goals coming in injury time.
  • Liverpool‘s Luis Suarez, who starts his 10-game ban, has scored or assisted 46% of the Reds’ league goals this season, playing a part in 28 of their 61 goals.
  • This match is Liverpool’s last chance to grab a win in April as they have endured a tricky month. Brendan Rodgers’ men have drawn all three of their games, including consecutive goalless ties against West Ham and Reading.
  • Liverpool have also been caught offside more often than any other Premier League team this season – 97 times to date.

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