Liverpool hit by major fresh injury blow as Newcastle United handed triple boost

Liverpool were without Thiago Alcantara in their 2-0 win against Everton on Monday evening with manager Jurgen Klopp confirming the midfielder would be ‘out for a while’ with a hip issue. The 31-year-old will miss Saturday's trip to Newcastle as a result.

“Thiago has some problems I know the problem but I have to ask the medical department what I’m allowed to say," Klopp said ahead of the match. “With the hip flexor, stuff like this, that’s it pretty much. He was not able to train."

Klopp recalled Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to the side against Everton in Thiago's absence as the Reds boss later added: “Obviously the Thiago situation is not cool for us, he will be out for a while with a hip problem. So we had to make one decision at least and so we made two.”

But Newcastle also have a few injury concerns following Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Bournemouth. Callum Wilson missed the game due to a slight hamstring issue while Joe Willock, Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin were all forced off with injuries.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said there was some real concern regarding Willock’s hamstring problem with the 23-year-old likely to miss the Liverpool match. But Wilson, Almiron and Saint-Maximin are all expected to be back in contention for the game.

Bruno Guimaraes will miss the match as he serves the final game of his suspension ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on February 26 (4:30pm kick-off). Full-backs Matt Targett, Javier Manquillo and Emil Krafth will also miss the match this weekend.

Liverpool are the only side to have beaten Newcastle so far in the Premier League this season as they snatched a last-gasp 2-1 win at Anfield back in August. Since then, Howe's side have gone 17 league games unbeaten, the longest such streak in the top-flight this campaign.

The Magpies currently sit fourth in the table, nine points ahead of ninth-placed Liverpool, who have a game in hand.