Event of the Day: Newcastle versus Liverpool
Our event of the day is the Premier League fixture between Newcastle United and Liverpool at St. James’ Park. Liverpool need to win in order to take the title race with Manchester City to the final day of the season. They will also look to rally as a team after a tough mid-week loss to Barcelona in the Champions League. Expect an unmissable performance from the Reds today as they fight to keep their title hopes alive. Liverpool travel to Newcastle in need of a rousing win in their penultimate Premier League fixture. They return to domestic play after a bruising 3-0 defeat to Barcelona in the semifinals of the Champions League on Wednesday night. This means that their final two opportunities at claiming a trophy after one of the best seasons in modern club history are hanging by a thread. They find themselves one point behind Manchester City in the league and must beat Newcastle to take the title race to the final day of the season. Meanwhile, to progress to the Champions League final, they will need a comeback akin to that of their 2005 Champions League final victory against AC Milan. That said, the very real possibility of finishing the season without a trophy should not detract from just how good Liverpool have been this season. Jürgen Klopp’s effort to rebuild the team has come to fruition. Their twenty-eight wins with two games remaining is a seven-win improvement on last season, a six-win improvement on the season before and a twelve-win improvement on the 2015-16 season, Jürgen Klopp’s first season in charge.
The major moves that have created the Liverpool team of today have been under Klopp. He brought Sadio Mané in from Southampton in July 2016, who has gone onto be a key playmaker and scorer. Georginio Wijnaldum was brought in from Newcastle in the same month and has made over 100 appearances for Liverpool in midfield. The following season, he extended the contract of Trent Alexander-Arnold, brought Mohamed Salah to the club from Roma and Virgil Van Dijk from Southampton. Together, they have formed a solid, well-rounded and talented team who have been the only team to truly challenge the powerhouse of Manchester City this season. Meanwhile, Newcastle are bound for a mid-table finish in their second season back in the Premiership. However, a mid-table finish is a vast improvement after the club started the season on a ten-game winless streak, finding their first win of the campaign in the first game of November. However, with a chance to play spoiler, Newcastle will be more than eager to take the opportunity. Veteran fans will remember how Liverpool derailed Newcastle’s title chances in April of 1996 in a thrilling seven-goal affair at Anfield. With Liverpool’s title hopes on the line, this is a match you won’t want to miss.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to Premiership Rugby, where Saracens host the Exeter Chiefs at Allianz Park in an exciting fixture. Exeter hold an eight-point lead at the top of the table. However, with two wins, plus bonus points, in their final two matches, Saracens can steal the top spot away from the team they have battled all season long. Meanwhile, Exeter merely need to win to secure the top spot. Expect a very exciting match with many predicting this to be a dress rehearsal for the Premiership final in June. In the NBA, the Houston Rockets host the Golden State Warriors at the Toyota Center as the Warriors look to take a 3-0 lead in the series. In the NHL, the Boston Bruins host the Columbus Blue Jackets at TD Garden with their playoff series tied at 2-2. The Women’s FA Cup final takes place at Wembley Stadium, with West Ham United facing Manchester City. The Tour de Yorkshire continues, with the race running from Bridlington to Scarborough today. On the PGA Tour, the Wells Fargo Championship continues at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. In horse racing, it is the 2019 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Photos by Liverpool, Premier League