Newcastle 0-0 Liverpool LIVE: Premier League score and updates, Roberto Firmino injury

NEWCASTLE 0-0 LIVERPOOL

Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Manquillo, Schar, Lascelles, Dummett, Hayden, Ki, Ritchie, Perez, Rondon, Astu

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Lovren, Robertson, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Salah, Sturridge, Mane

• Roberto Firmino misses out through injury, Daniel Sturridge starts

• Ayoze Perez passes late fitness test to start for Rafa Benitez

NEWCASTLE 0-0 LIVERPOOL

5: LOL! Sorry I shouldn’t laugh but Matt Ritchie has just attempted to usher the ball out of play – but it had already stopped. He eventually gives up and knocks it out himself. I don’t know if he was expecting a sudden gust of wind or something…

3: Hell of an atmosphere at St James’ Park. I think the Toon could get used to these Saturday night fixtures, which will be the norm in a few seasons.

Liverpool struggling to find any fluency in the early stages. Still shaking the cobwebs off from that Champions League defeat to Barcelona.

NEWCASTLE 0-0 LIVERPOOL

1: Y’all ready for this? Good, we’re underway.

Congratulations to Newcastle who, unlike Huddersfield, have survived the opening 16 seconds without conceding.

Souness…

19:40: Oh dear, Graeme.

The Sky Sports pundit was doing his normal thing on television before disaster struck – his phone started ringing.

He tried to leave it a second before finally admitting defeat and switching it off. Didn’t skip a beat while talking though – multi-tasking level 100.

A word from Rafa

19:35: From the news no Liverpool fans wanted to hear – to the news Manchester City wanted from Rafa Benitez.

“We are professional and have to do our job,” said Benitez. “My relationship with the city of Liverpool, the club and the fans is there. I cannot forget that I had six years at Liverpool, so I will not say ‘no I don’t feel anything’.

“At the same time, I have been to play Liverpool with Chelsea, with Newcastle, and we have to do our job.

“We have 52,000 in our stadium, it’s the last home game of the season. I think everybody understands that we are professionals, and we will try to do our best.”

Confirmed

19:30: The news no Liverpool supporter wanted confirmed. Don’t shoot the messenger.

Jurgen Klopp says Roberto Firmino had “no chance” of playing tonight and is unlikely to feature against Barcelona on Tuesday night.

“He had problems, he still has problems, he’s not even in the squad, he’s just not available. That’s how it is, and we have to accept it – that’s why it was easy to leave him out!,” Klopp told Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports.

“It doesn’t look good for the Barcelona game for Roberto. He thought it would be quicker to recover but it hasn’t worked out like that. The other changes give us fresh legs, that was the plan.”

Relegated

19:25: Cardiff did pull a goal back through Bobby Reid before time was up, but it was not enough to extend their battle against the drop.

The Bluebirds’ stay in the Premier League – as it did the first time around – lasted only a single season. The 3-2 defeat to Crystal Palace leaves them four points adrift of safety with a game left to play.

Saturday night…

19:20: “And I like the way you move,” is the incredibly outdated reference I opted to use. A song performed by Danish Eurodance artist Whigfield in 1995… that’s how this blog does things.

I’m assume you’re reading this blog while out and about on this pleasant Saturday evening.

And because I’m stuck in an office in the middle of London – with only the vending machine to keep me company – do let me know what you’re up to.

You can make me jealous via the comments section at the bottom of the page or on twitter using the hashtag #ExpressSport.

Rafa loves Liverpool

19:15: He really does. Rafael Benitez has insisted Liverpool will still be one of the best teams in the world even if they end the season without a trophy.

Asked how Jurgen Klopp’s team compared with his, Benitez said: “They are doing well, doing a great job with a very good team.

“At the moment, they’re one of the best teams, not just in Europe, but one of the best in the world. They haven’t won a trophy but there are so many strong teams, that can happen.

“Will they stay there? Yes. They are at the maximum level now and they can compete well against Manchester City or Barcelona or Bayern. They can stay there.”

Relegation…

19:10: Looks like the battle at the bottom of the table is done and dusted.

Andros Townsend has just scored the goal which gives Crystal Palace a 3-1 lead and has surely relegated Cardiff. Never has a Palace goal been cheered so loudly in Brighton.

Wolves’ win over Fulham has pretty-much guaranteed them a seventh-placed finish. So just the title and top-four left to resolve…

According to Carra…

19:05: Ah… well this isn’t good news.

Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has suggested that Roberto Firmino’s season could be finished.

“Roberto Firmino will be struggling to play midweek and there is a good chance his season may be over,” Carragher said.

*Takes out of fantasy football team and curses my damn optimism*

Twitter round-up

Ahmet: No matter what happens at the end of this season Liverpool fans, we need to stay behind our team, they will only improve if our owners see were we are falling short and buy the required players, I don’t see City having such a great season in 19/20 season.

Chris: Not a fan of Daniel Sturridge at all under Jurgen Klopp. He just slows the game down like Paul Pogba! Good thing we’re selling him in the summer!

Has: Got a bad feeling about today. Rafa might just cost us the title.

Not a great deal of love around for Daniel Sturridge tonight. I can understand why given he’s display against Huddersfield.

Team News – Liverpool

18:55: Just one change from the Liverpool side who thrashed Huddersfield last Friday night – and it’s an enforced one.

Naby Keita, who will miss the remainder of the season, is replaced by Fabinho. Roberto Firmino misses out completely.

Elsewhere Daniel Sturridge makes his second-consecutive Premier League start. He’s preferred ahead of Divock Origi.

Team News – Newcastle

18:50: Rafa Benitez makes two changes to his Newcastle side that drew 1-1 with Brighton last weekend.

Defender Jamaal Lascelles is back after an illness and Ki Sung-yueng also starts. They replace Federico Fernandez and Jonjo Shelvey, who drop to the bench.

As expected, Ayoze Perez passes a late fitness test and the in-form forward starts along with striker Salomon Rondon.

Starting XI…

18:45: Was the leaked team news correct? Nope. Daniel Sturridge makes another Premier League start with Roberto Firmino missing altogether.

Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Manquillo, Schar, Lascelles, Dummett, Hayden, Ki, Ritchie, Perez, Rondon, Astu.

Subs: Darlow, Fernandez, Barreca, Kenedy, Diame, Shelvey, Muto.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Lovren, Robertson, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Salah, Sturridge, Mane.

Subs: Mignolet, Gomez, Matip, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Shaqiri, Origi.

Twitter round-up

Jay: We’ll see what this team is made of tonight after their Barcelona mauling! Great teams respond to set backs so lets show just that! No time for letting pressure get to us! Let’s get at them and put the pressure on City!

Nick: If Liverpool win tonight – and Leicester get a result out of the city game Monday night… Does Tuesday night against Barcelona become irrelevant? Save our best players for a title-chance must win game against Wolves?

Mark: Liverpool will lose tonight.

Thanks for the input, Mark. Would you care to elaborate?

As things stand…

18:40: Cardiff have 45 minutes to save themselves from relegation. Neil Warnock’s side currently trail Crystal Palace 2-1 and defeat would seal their return to the Championship.

I’ll keep you updated with anything Warnock does in anger, frustration and potentially joy – starting with this incredible GIF..

The leak…

18:35: Funny how we never really see ‘leaked’ team news from other clubs in the Premier League… perhaps it’s those pesky Fantasy Football players behind it.

Anyway, Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI seems to have been leaked.

The leaked team suggests Divock Origi will lead the line with Roberto Firmino still struggling with his fitness.

The suspected XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Salah, Mane, Origi.

I look forward to these ITK accounts celebrating or quickly deleting their information…

Evening…

18:30: Forget the Friday Night Lights – everyone knows Saturday is king!

Welcome to our LIVE coverage as Liverpool travel to Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle.

Liverpool fans will be hoping Benitez does not make things difficult at St James’ Park before putting their hopes on Brendan Rodgers’s Leicester to give them the upper hand heading into the final weekend.

So whatever it is that you’re doing with your Saturday – I’ll keep you updated with all the twists and turns from the Premier League.

Standby for line-ups and team news…

NEWCASTLE vs LIVERPOOL – TEAM NEWS

Magpies striker Ayoze Perez, who limped off at Brighton last weekend with a hip problem, is available. Skipper Jamaal Lascelles also returns after illness, leaving central defender Florian Lejeune and midfielder Sean Longstaff (both knee ligaments) and full-back DeAndre Yedlin (groin) on the injury list.

Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino is a doubt – the forward tore a thigh muscle in training last week and although he came on as a late substitute in the Champions League defeat in Barcelona, he is unlikely to be risked. Midfielder Naby Keita’s season has been ended by a groin injury.

Last season: Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0, Newcastle 1 Liverpool 1

Last five league matches: Newcastle L L W W D; Liverpool W W W W W

Top scorers (all competitions): Ayoze Perez (Newcastle) 12; Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) 25

Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)