Action! But it's only a booking, Moussa Sissoko penalised for an ugly challenge on Joe Allen. Mario Balotelli waves Steven Gerrard away from the free-kick and hits it, decent effort too, but Tim Krul holds on at the second attempt.

Losing Papiss Cisse is a major blow for Newcastle, but if truth be told he didn't look too fit in that first-half. Maybe Ayoze Perez can add some zip up top. He almost links up with fellow replacement Rolando Aarons but he loses out.

Game on!

Is Ayoze Perez the answer? If so, what is the question? The Newcastle forward is a half-time change, on in place of Papiss Cisse.

Here come the sides for the second half - more excitement, passion, desire, strength, quality, skill, speed and goals needed please...

BBC Sport's Saj Chowdhury at St James' Park: "After a quiet first quarter of the match, this spectacle at St James' exploded into life with a clearance off the line from Papiss Cisse's header while Martin Skrtel should have done better with his effort at the other end. The biggest cheer though was saved when Andre Marriner used his spray after marking out his strides for a free-kick. When will fans tire of that?"

Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez, hailed by manager Arsene Wenger as a player who stands out amongst a generation of "softer" forwards, was out walking his dogs on Friday in full hard man regalia.

Image source, @alexis_sanchez

He tweeted:, external "Beautiful sunny day in London! Thanks for all your messages, see you tomorrow at The Emirates!"

Great man. Great dogs...

Former Blackpool and England defender Jimmy Armfield
BBC Radio 5 live at St James' Park

"There wasn't much action at either goal in that first half. Liverpool started the better but didn't show enough threat and we have hardly seen anything of Mario Balotelli, who people will look to. Newcastle have had to change their style after losing Gabriel Obertan through injury, and in fact both teams looked like they were in the process of rebuilding in that first half."

Image source, AP

Alistair Lowe:, external About six weeks ago Brendan Rodgers said there was going to be some tough days and it could get worse. What an inept first half.

Junior Beardo:, external If this is the new identity of Liverpool's game, Brendan Rodgers is walking on thin ice, at the point of losing the fans.

Derek Fair:, external Do you think Liverpool could get any more boring to watch?

Simon Brotherton
Match of the Day commentator

"Two players I'm particularly looking forward to seeing are Leicester forward Leonardo Ulloa and his counterpart for West Brom, Saido Berahino.

"Ulloa, who has five goals so far, started the season on fire but things have been tougher in recent weeks and he hasn't had a shot in the four games since his opening flurry.

"On the other hand, Berahino has been catching the eye for Albion, who have lost only one of the last five games in the league, and is the top-scoring Englishman in the Premier League."

Darren, get to the shops. Not often I'll say that but this is a shocker...

Ade: In a season of woeful Liverpool performances, that half has taken things to new depths.

Darren: Quite possibly the worst 45 minutes you'll see in the Premier League this season. No tempo, no atmosphere and so dull I'm seriously considering going shopping with the Mrs!

Dave: I'll be amazed if Liverpool take anything from this game, there only hope would be Lambert, Newcastle are doing an excellent job of stifling them and have some pace upfront.

Steve Bower
BBC Match of the Day commentator

Image source, Getty Images

"Deadlock. Very little between the two teams in the first half. The closest anyone has come is Martin Skrtel's header that flashed wide."

John Roder
Match of the Day commentator at the Britannia Stadium

"The goalscoring exploits of West Ham's Diafra Sakho have quite rightly earned him many headlines since his August move from French club Metz. To score in seven successive matches - six in six in the Premier League - is a terrific start to his time at Upton Park.

"Sakho is a doubt for today, though, and if he is absent then the Britannia Stadium crowd may again struggle to see goals. Amazingly, only six goals (three for Stoke, three for their opponents) have been scored there in the league so far this season, and that is the lowest total for a venue in all four English divisions.

"The Hammers have won their last three in a row but they have kept only one clean sheet in the Premier League this season. It's an intriguing match to predict and one I am looking forward to tremendously."

Image source, Getty Images

Alistair Mann
BBC Match of the Day commentator

"Eighteenth-Century English poet Alexander Pope once wrote: "Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed."

"His words are now becoming more and more applicable to fans of second-placed Southampton. Manager Ronald Koeman knows he has to manage the expectation and, having also guided his side to a League Cup quarter-final this week, his side will arrive at Hull with confidence soaring.

"However, Hull City have their own reasons for wanting to plant a seed of doubt in Southampton minds. October has demonstrated the Tigers' stoic resolve, remaining unbeaten despite awkward trips to the Emirates and, most-recently, Anfield.

"Their propensity to give up winning positions has been their Achilles heel and is the significant reason why they've drawn five of their last eight league games."

Image source, AP

Guy Mowbray
BBC Match of the Day commentator

"If the result's right for him, this will be a special day for Everton manager Roberto Martinez. It's his 200th Premier League game as a manager, and it comes against the club that gave him his first break.

"Everton are back on track and in search of a third successive league win - form which has coincided with the returns of both Seamus Coleman and Ross Barkley.

"In September in the Capital One Cup, Swansea beat Everton for the first time ever. A first league win could prove much more difficult to achieve at Goodison Park."

Image source, Getty Images

Jonathan Pearce
BBC Match of the Day commentator at Stamford Bridge

"It's true Chelsea have a recent sticky record against QPR, and Jose Mourinho's men did make hard work of the Capital Cup tie at Shrewsbury on the back of an arduous draw at Old Trafford.

"But they've looked imperious at home. They've easily been the best side in the Premier League this season. This has to be a banker home win. Chelsea are unbeaten at the Bridge against promoted sides in 13 years and 40 matches.

"Charlie Austin is in good form for QPR and I just can't see them holding out. Chelsea should have too much penetration and movement between the lines."

Image source, PA

Steve Wilson
BBC Match of the Day commentator Emirates Stadium

"One of the things often said about the Premier League is that anyone can beat anyone else on their day. They trot that one out along with the "there are no easy games in international football" line. Well, believe me, I'm trying, and I love a good upset as much as anyone, but it's hard to see Burnley winning at Arsenal.

"The Gunners are the only team in the Premier League yet to suffer a home league defeat in 2014. If Burnley don't win on Saturday they will join a small and ignominious band of Premier League teams to go 10 or more games without winning from the start of a season."

Image source, AP

No goals in the early kick-of then, but what's coming up?

Cameron Laws:, external Andre Marriner has been spot on in this first half. Many refs wouldn't have booked Taylor for unsportsmanlike behaviour.