BBC Radio 5 live

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"Remember remember the last time Newcastle won three league games in a row? November 2013. Can they do the same today v Liverpool?"

Listen to 5 live commentary by clicking the Live Coverage tab above.

'Pardew - back from the dead' reads a banner held up by a Halloween-themed fan at Newcastle. How we all laughed. That eight-year contract looks like good business again at the moment.

The teams are out at St James'. Goal before 1pm?

Almost time for the teams at St James'. The unseasonably warm weather means that the pitch is getting a heavy soaking from the sprinklers. Yes, in November, in Newcastle..

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Liverpool post a picture of the dressing room prior to kick-off at St James' Park through their Instagram account., external

A reminder of those all-important line-ups at St James' Park:

Newcastle: Krul, Janmaat, Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Dummett, Abeid, Colback, Sissoko, Obertan, Cisse, Ameobi. Subs: Ryan Taylor, Gouffran, Aarons, Perez, Haidara, Cabella, Elliot.

Liverpool: Mignolet, Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno, Henderson, Gerrard, Allen, Coutinho, Balotelli, Sterling. Subs: Brad Jones, Toure, Lambert, Manquillo, Lallana, Can, Borini.

Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands)

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Image source, Getty Images

There has never been a goalless draw between these sides in their 40 Premier League clashes.

0-0 it is then...

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Scapegoat or saviour? Mario Balotelli continues to divide opinion. He scored his second goal for Liverpool in midweek against Swansea, and a first league goal today would get the ball rolling...

Robbie Fowler
Former Liverpool, Leeds and England striker

"Regarding Mario Balotelli, you think of Luis Suarez, his goals were frightening last season. Any player who came in after him was going to find it hard. Mario needs to work hard and put it about, he hasn't done that.

"He seems to be snatching at a lot of chances. Liverpool fans are knowledgeable and will be patient with Mario, but they will expect him to work harder. But it isn't all about him."

Former Manchester United and Liverpool midfielder Paul Ince
Football Focus

"I don't get it when people say players need to work harder and they will improve. For me that is a natural requirement, and when you spend £16m on a striker he has to score goals.

"On the pitch, Mario Balotelli looks like he thinks he is a great player without doing that much. He has to stop thinking about himself and start thinking about the team."

He may have scored in midweek - but Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli remains a major talking point...

Times football writer Rory Smith: "Alan Pardew has done a really good job in difficult circumstances. It does go in spurts for Newcastle and it's not really obvious what triggers those good or bad patches."

Robbie Fowler
Former Liverpool, Leeds and England striker

"Liverpool have been very hit and miss. It's not as bad as some people make out, though. They have not set the standards they set last season, and Luis Suarez is a miss. But it's not all doom and gloom. They have won one more game than Manchester United and Arsenal, for example."

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BBC Sport's Saj Chowdhury reports: "You can imagine then singing "Walking in a Pardew Wonderland" in about a month's time. Well...

"I have spoken to 10 of the Magpies faithful - five wanted Alan Pardew out, despite the team having not lost in the league in October and having secured a quarter-final place in the League Cup.

"It was worse for owner Mike Ashley, with seven stating they wanted the sports retail magnate, who now has a 10% stake in Rangers, to also leave.

"James Anderson of Newcastle said: "The results aren't good enough. You look at the results over the last few years. Since we finished fifth it hasn't been good enough. The team, the structure, the fans and the ground we have - it's not good enough.

"Ashley's made it clear he wants to go to Rangers - he wants out as soon as they get to the Champions League. The sooner the better."

So close to winning the league last year - a slip away - but it's been a different story for the Red side of Merseyside this season.

After selling Luis Suarez times were always going to be tough, but are Liverpool underperforming? What's going wrong? Who needs to come out of the side? Who could make the difference?

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BBC Radio 5 live

What's going on a Liverpool then? Torn apart by Real Madrid last week, the Reds are nine points off league leaders Chelsea and have lost their last two Champions League group games.

Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and striker Mario Balotelli have come under fire in recent weeks, but do the problems start in the backroom?

Former Fulham boss Rene Meulensteen - a member of Manchester United's coaching staff under Sir Alex Ferguson - believes Brendan Rodgers should have strengthened his backroom team after the Reds secured a Champions League return after finishing second in the Premier League last season.

"Brendan has obviously got people around him who he obviously thinks are the right ones," Meulensteen told 5 live.

"But I think he could have done with someone who has been there, seen it and done it.

"Playing in the Premier League and the Champions League, it's a different rhythm that requires a different style of training and a different management strategy through the week. You need to know these things."

You see, it's all down to assistant manager Colin Pascoe...

Robbie Fowler
Former Liverpool, Leeds and England striker

"Thibaut Courtois is so young, but he looks like he's been around forever already. Maybe one of his weaknesses is he doesn't talk as much but that will come with experience. He's going to be a top goalkeeper for years to come.

"He's the standout goalkeeper in the Premier League along with Manchester United's David De Gea. But if I had to choose between them I'd go with Courtois."

Game on the early Championship kick-off - follow a blow-by-blow account with Phil Cartwright here.

Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois has caught the eye since he won a place in the side this summer- but who's the best goalkeeper in the Premier League?

Vote now on the right-hand side of the page, or the vote tab on mobiles or tweet #Courtois #DeGea or #Hart to @bbcsport.

The vote closes at 12.40pm and Terms and conditions are available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/26526473

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Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has spoken about how hard it was to face the Blues in the Champions League while on loan at Atletico Madrid last season. Being interviewed on Football Focus, Courtois said: "Yes - (it was ) not easy - even before the games there were rumours that Chelsea didn't want me to play, so Fifa and Uefa told me that I had to play and I couldn't fake injury or anything - so it was not easy.

"At that moment I was an Atletico Madrid player and obviously I like Chelsea and when I'm not playing against them - yeah I hope they win everything - but when you are in the Super Cup or the Champions League, obviously you want to win with your team."