Liverpool travel to 4th placed Newcastle United desperate to build after a stop-stop-start to this calendar year.
The reds did beat Everton 2-0 on Monday night but Newcastle are likely to be a far tougher proposition.
They are currently 9 points ahead of the reds, having played one game more, and boast a defensive record that Liverpool of the past few seasons were used to. With just 13 goals conceded and only one defeat they are the meanest side in this season's Premier League so far.
The reds were the last team to beat them in the league at their home ground back in April, and Liverpool also snatched victory in the corresponding fixture at Anfield earlier this season.
Can the reds make a real dent into their hopes for a top four slot or will the newly rich Newcastle take another step closer to the Champions League?
Follow the game with us here.
As it happened...
There were strong indications that Virgil van Dijk may well go straight back into the starting line up. He didn't come off the bench on Monday and has been out for seven weeks.
Team news is due imminently.
And there is just one change from Monday night.
Virgil van Dijk replaces Joel Matip in central defence.
Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Bajcetic, Henderson, Nunez, Salah, Gakpo.
Subs: Kelleher, Milner, Keita, Firmino, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, Matip, Phillips
Here's the team Eddie Howe is sending out. Former Everton player Anthony Gordon on the bench.
Pope, Burn, Botman, Trippier, Schar, Joelinton, Anderson, Longstaff, Isak, Almirón, Saint-Maximin
Subs: Dubravka, Murphy, Lascelles, Manquillo, Ritchie, Wilson, Dummett, Lewis, Gordon
Former Liverpool (and Newcastle) manager Rafa Benitez is the studio guest for Sky Sports.
He touches on the announcement this morning of the death in the Turkish earthquake of Christian Atsu, the 31 year old former Newcastle and Everton player.
'I'm really sad. He was a nice nice person. He was a very professional footballer but more important than that just a nice person. It's such sad news.'
'I was in contact with him maybe last month. I was feeling so bad (when I heard about the Earthquake) - I was trying to contact a member of the staff (at the Turkish team). Today we have to remember Christian and all the other in this tragedy.'
Asked about Virgil van Dijk returning.
'It's massive. Having him in the dressing room and even the changing room. He's such an important guy.
On today's game.
'We have to collect points and show consistency. We can't just win one game. If you can decrease the distance (in the table) then that makes things better.'
Out to warm up at St. James' Park ????#NEWLIV pic.twitter.com/zXh5OVkNxN
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 18, 2023
Hugs and fistbumps all around.
A large banner to mark what would have been Sir Bobby Robson's 90th birthday.
And a minute's silence for Christian Atsu.
We are underway! Into these reds!
4' Almiron in loads of space at the edge of the box. Alisson rushes out to stop him there. He was coming from an offside position and nobody had spotted him.
10' Darwn Nunez brings down a lovely lobbed ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold and smashes it past Nick Pope.
Newcastle claiming for handball. But it wasn't. VAR check complete.
1-0 to the reds.
Well in Darwin!pic.twitter.com/UJh6moFgro
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) February 18, 2023
15' Alexander-Arnold swings in another cross - this time across the defence and Trippier just gets a touch before it arrives at the feet of Nunez.
WOW - It's 2-0.
17' Cody Gakpo doubles the reds' lead. Bajcetic, to Gakpo, to Fabinho, to Salah - a lovely lob and Gakpo drills it in.
Cool finish.
Liverpool back in the mood.
20' Fabinho picks up a card for a foul.
22' Wow! Nick Pope sent off for handball outside the box.
What was he thinking!
It was a long ball from Alisson, Salah was running on to it and bizarrely Nick Pope came miles out and dived down and saved it!
Straight red. Newcastle down to ten and Dubravka coming on.
So Anderson comes out for Dubravka to come on.
Nick Pope now misses the Caraboa Cup final. And we think Dubravka will be cup tied as he has played for Man Utd in the competition.
Which means that Loris Karius could be Newcastle's keeper in the final. Anyway, back to the game.
31' The ten men of Newcastle are working hard. Saint-Maximin turns and twists and gets a shot away that Alisson tips over.
35' Liverpool wisely knocking it around now - using the man advantage and making Newcastle do all the running until the gap opens up.
Newcastle's energy levels not been sapped yet so the reds have to keep their focus.
It's never particularly easy playing against ten men in the Premier League and the reds do not have a great record at it.
But they have a two goal lead here.
37' Almiron fouls Salah just at the edge of the box and collects a yellow card.
42' Dan Burn heads on to the crossbar from a corner. Good chance for them.
Four minutes added time at the end of this interesting half!
45+3' Dan Burn throw in - Almiron with a tame shot wide of the goal.
Newcastle fans almost silent here at St James Park. It was noisy at kick off time!
HT: Newcastle 0-2 Liverpool
Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo both score in the opening 15 minutes for the reds. Then Nick Pope decided to stop Salah scoring by saving the ball miles outside the area.
He was sent off. Since then, killed the atmosphere and the game to an extent.
Can Liverpool finish the job? This would be a big three points.
Looks like his Liverpool career has now well and truly started.
Dink, dink, dink, goal.pic.twitter.com/JQdUHkxcRu
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) February 18, 2023
Back underway.
50' It is bucketing it down now in Newcastle. Liverpool still pushing enough to try and get a third goal.
Clearly been told not to try and sit on this 2-0 lead.
53' Nunez down in some discomfort after a collision with Trippier.
Holding his left shoulder and the physio is on.
55' Newcastle corner and it's a free header for Scharr but he heads it straight back out for a goal kick.
58' Robertson releases Nunez, he cuts inside and then fires a shot that Dubravka has to beat away low at the left corner.
59' Nunez can't continue here. Landed on his right shoulder and he's replaced by Jota.
Bajcetic, Henderson and Gakpo off. Milner, Elliott and Firmino also on.
61' Saint-Maximin fires wide - a bit of pace and he collects the long ball but can't convert.
65' Trippier, Isak and Almiron off. Jacob Murphy, Callum Wilson and Anthony Gordon on.
68' Easy collect for Dubravka from a weak effort by Harvey Elliott.
Joelinton down on the ground holding his leg. Maybe he also fancies an early shower to concentrate on the cup final?
71' Joelinton replaced by Matt Ritchie. It did appear that Joelinton was urging the substitution not to happen - telling Eddie Howe 'I'm fine' but the Newcastle manager reminded him who was the boss and the change is made.
75' Robertson should have scored. A lovely Liverpool move and he just has to pull the trigger but he tries to play in Salah and it goes behind him.
80' Space is developing. Liverpool trying to score the perfect goal though - barnstorming run from Trent supplies Salah but he also decides to pass it back across.
81' Another save for Dubravka. Not enough power from Salah's shot at the edge of the box.
82' Firmino incrediby sloppy in the middle of the park. Ball taken off him and it's a Newcastle 3 on 2 situation.
But Alisson saves.
88' A succession of corners for the reds at the end of this game.
One of them lands square on Jota's head but it goes narrowly wide.
90' Trent with a wonderful cross, Jota heads across and Firmino is about an inch away from scoring there.
Would have been a stunner.
90+1' Jota rounds the keeper - cleared off the line!
FT: Newcastle 0-2 Liverpool
Newcastle have lost just two games this season. Against Liverpool home and away.
The reds move up to 8th and are now six points behind 4th placed Newcastle with a game in hand.
The reds did all their work in the opening 20 minutes and then the game was effectively over with that Newcastle red card. Liverpool took their foot off the gas but still could have scored about seven.
On to Real Madrid.
