Hello and welcome to Eurosport's LIVE text commentary of the Premier League clash between Newcastle and Liverpool at St James' Park. In the penultimate fixture, Jurgen Klopp's side will reclaim their place at the top of the table with a victory and pile the pressure on Manchester City ahead of their Monday night game with Leicester at the Etihad. Lose, and an absorbing title race is all but over for The Reds.

We will start with Liverpool's team news and the biggest talking point is the exclusion of Roberto Firmino who doesn't even make the bench. His injury allows Daniel Sturridge a second start in a fortnight, having not started a single match during the rest of the season. Trent Arnold-Alexander returns to full-back while Dejan Lovren is at centre-back, with Joe Gomez and Joel Matip dropping to the bench. In midfield, Jordan Henderson replaces the injured Naby Keita.

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

Wouldn't it be something if Rafa Benitez was to end Liverpool's title challenge? The Spaniard's future at Tyneside is up in the air and this could be his final home match in charge. Undoubtedly, he will be desperate to go out on a high and he won't have any interest in helping his old club to league glory.