Liverpool v Newcastle Football Tips

Halfway through the season and the bookies are still pretty well ignoring the league table when they price Liverpool up as 4/7 (PaddyPower) favourites to defeat a Newcastle United side perching just one place and one point behind them. A win for Alan Pardew’s side (6/1 VictorChandler) would therefore lift the Toon Army above their illustrious opponents.

But I just can’t see Liverpool giving away all the points in this one; they remain unbeaten at Anfield despite all those dropped points. Instead, the draw inevitably catches the eye at 3/1 (Skybet) - the outcome in six of the nine top flight fixtures at Anfield this season. The list of teams to share the spoils on Merseyside includes Sunderland, Norwich, Swansea and Blackburn - the latter as recently as Boxing Day. Newcastle can rightly consider themselves superior to all those sides, and capable of matching their results.

I would concede that Liverpool are the more likely winners, but at these odds there is more than enough value to back the draw. For those in doubt, consider the strikers; Luis Suarez is suspended after a second charge of misconduct was accepted by the controversial Uruguayan. With Andy Carroll still struggling to adapt to life at Anfield, the hosts could struggle for end product yet again.

In contrast, Demba Ba is back on form for the visitors; the former West Ham forward has now notched 14 league goals and only trails Van Persie in the entire division. The Senegalese ace was on target in the 2-0 win at Bolton that ended Newcastle’s poor run of form, and which should see them head to Liverpool with renewed confidence.