Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish looks set to turn to struggling striker Andy Carroll for goals for the Premier League clash with Newcastle United on Friday (Liverpool 4/7 draw 3/1 Newcastle United 11/2 – match prices).
The 22-year-old has the perfect opportunity to kick-start his career at the Merseyside club and who better to do it against than his former employers.
Carroll (4/1 first goalscorer) has struggled to find the back of the net since his £35m move from St James’ Park almost 11 months ago, with only two goals in the top flight this season.
The England international has been giving the backing of Dalglish, after he saw yet more opportunities go wide of the mark or saved during the 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day.
With the Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez set to miss Friday’s clash with the Magpies due to a suspension for his gesture to the crowd during another Liverpool draw against Fulham, Carroll is set to take a leading role against his former club at Anfield.
Reds skipper Steve Gerrard also featured against Rovers on Monday and is likely to play some part against the Magpies, as Dalglish looks to ease the key midfielder back into regular football.
As for Newcastle, after a stuttering couple of weeks they got back to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Premier League strugglers Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on Boxing Day.
Once again it was that man Demba Ba (8/1 first goalscorer) who got himself on the score-sheet, as the Senegalese striker continues his superb season for Newcastle following his move from West Ham in the summer.
The 26-year-old could be the signing of the season, having joined the Magpies on a free deal, he has put away most of the chances presented to him and Liverpool will have to be wary of the goal-machine.
Another man who impressed during the victory over the Trotters was the Frenchman Hatem Ben Arfa (10/3 – Anytime Scorer), who found himself on the score-sheet with a wonderful finish.
The 24-year-old made a slow start to life at St James’ Park having suffered a broken tibia and fibula in one of his first games for the club, after being on the wrong end of a tackle from Manchester City’s Nigel De Jong.
However, manager Alan Pardew will be delighted to see the player coming back to full fitness and he will be another the threat the Reds will have to be alert to.
Liverpool and Newcastle sit in sixth and seventh place in the Premier League table respectively and there certainly is not too much between these two teams.
The Reds have tended to raise their game for the bigger fixtures in the top flight this season and struggled against the supposed lesser teams.
This is certainly a big game for both clubs as they hope to contend for European football next season.
Liverpool are likely to raise their game but this contest pits together two attacking football sides so expect goals but a stalemate at the final whistle.
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