Anthony Rhodes:, external Come on Newcastle! Always a good game v Liverpool. Fingers crossed for a good result too.

Lewis Tizard:, external Talk about missing the obvious! Brendan Rodgers must realise we play better with two up front. Fabio Borini deserves to start with Mario Balotelli.

Kolo KK:, external If there's any replacement for Luis Suarez as far as the Premier League's imports this season is concerned, it has to be Graziano Pelle.

Image source, PA

It was never in doubt. Dennis Bergkamp's brilliant goal against Sunderland, featuring a neat cameo from Paul 'Magic man' Merson, got your nod as the best FA Cup goal from our latest selection, winning 30% of your votes.

What a player he was...

Football Focus

Football Focus. Now. BBC One. Online.

Image source, PA

BBC Sport's Saj Chowdhury at St James' Park: "Newcastle's Alan Pardew will be relieved to know that he is not a manager under pressure going into this match, having won the last three fixtures. Instead the focus is on counterpart Brendan Rodgers.

"Nine points off the pace and struggling in the Champions League. An in-form Magpies at St James' is not the best place to kick start your season.

"It has been more than 40 years since these two teams played out a 0-0 draw - a blustery day on Tyneside adds an interesting element to the proceedings."

There's no Stan Collymore, Robbie Fowler, Sir Les of Ferdinand, Tino Asprilla, Kevin Keegan or Roy Evans on display at St James' Park this afternoon, but can the class of 2014 serve up some mid-90s action?

The way Liverpool have been defending of late, seven goals is not out of the question. Can Alan Pardew's side continue their recent upturn in fortunes?

Image source, PA

Newcastle v Liverpool. Liverpool v Newcastle.

Eighteen years ago, when the Spice Girls ruled the airwaves and the Spice Boys ruled Anfield, these two sides served up a bona fide, all-time classic Premier League game.

Stan Collymore's late goal gave the Reds a 4-3 win, external as Newcastle's implosion from title certainties to runners-up continued. Collymore closed in, Kevin Keegan slumped in his seat, the Kop erupted. Classic moment.

A year later, they did it again! A second 4-3 at Anfield, and it was decided that from that day on every single meeting of the sides would be televised.

They haven't come remotely close to matching those two games for excitement or entertainment since. Is today the day?

Dan Walker

"All this on Football Focus today. Just need some guests!"

Football Focus begins its preview of the weekend's footballing action from 12:10 GMT on BBC One, with Paul Ince and Robbie Fowler joining Dan in the studio.

It's time for me to take my leave and hope Newcastle v Liverpool serve up a thriller. The assured hands of Tom Rostance are taking over so enjoy.

Image source, PA

Liverpool are about as comfortable defending set-pieces at the moment as Sir Alex Ferguson, or indeed anyone, would be sharing a lift with Roy Keane.

It's not the first time the Reds have been dodgy trying to clear their lines from corners, free-kicks and crosses as Newcastle boss Alan Pardew well knows.

In his playing days as a blond-haired defender, Pardew scored the winner in Crystal Palace's 4-3 win over Liverpool in an FA Cup semi-final in 1990 when he nodded in after a corner that had been flicked on.

Palace's other goals came from a right-wing cross and two free-kicks as Liverpool's problems from set pieces from that era began. Now, they seem to be back. Let's see if current Newcastle boss Pardew takes a leaf out of his old Palace side's book when his side welcome the Reds to St James' Park for today's early kick-off.

Image source, Getty Images

This morning we have been working in tandem with the Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live and asking you to tell us about the weird and wonderful objects you have used as a goalpost.

Doug Short:, external I needed something to take water in, the only thing I could find was my mum's thermos flask. We ended up using it as a goal post. As a little lad I didn't realise they were lined with glass. First shot that hit the post. Smash!. Let's just say, mum wasn't happy!

Stephen Murray:, external When we were teenagers and mum and dad used to go out shopping, we used to take the fireguard out on to The Green in front of the house.

Derek Hayward:, external Milk crates. They were very versatile, we used them as wickets as well.

Send your entries and pictures to the MOTD Facebook page,, external on #bbcfootball, external on Twitter, 81111 on text, or via Google+, external pages. (All entries welcome. Editor's decision is final)

Jordan Henderson, Philippe Coutinho and Glen Johnson returned from the bench to play in Liverpool's midweek Capital One Cup win over Swansea and keep their places for the game at Newcastle. Mario Balotelli again starts up front.

Newcastle midfielder Mehdi Abeid started the Capital One Cup win over Manchester City on Wednesday and he is rewarded with his first Premier League start. Sammy Ameobi leads the attack.

Newcastle XI: Krul, Janmaat, S.Taylor, Coloccini, Dummett, Sissoko, Abeid, Colback, Obertan, Cisse, Ameobi

Liverpool XI: Mignolet, Johnson, Moreno, Lovren, Skrtel, Gerrard, Allen, Henderson, Coutinho, Sterling, Balotelli

Image source, PA

This morning we have been working in tandem with the Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live and asking you to tell us about the weird and wonderful objects you have used as a goalpost.

Image source, @kevinkey65

Kevin Key:, external Rwandan goalposts (above).

Tom Farr:, external We had a Jenga-style tower of bricks and curtain poles we'd convinced ourselves mum didn't want and the worst excuse for homebrewed cement.

Perennial Under:, external The bullies at school used to use me as one of their goalposts.

Send your entries and pictures to the MOTD Facebook page,, external on #bbcfootball, external on Twitter, 81111 on text, or via Google+, external pages. (All entries welcome. Editor's decision is final)

Birmingham boss Gary Rowett makes his debut today in the cauldron of a derby with Wolves.

Image source, Getty Images

Wolves can go top - temporarily at least - with a point, but top scorer Bakary Sako is only on the bench. Birmingham lost 8-0 last weekend. At home!

The only way is up.

We have a separate live text page on the early game in the Championship. Join Phil Cartwright here.

Image source, PA

Let's focus back on Newcastle v Liverpool again. I attended a workshop about the digital world earlier this week (I know that sounds as interesting as a Manuel Pellegrini news conference but before you scroll away please bear with me on this).

During the workshop I was introduced to the Gartner Hype Cycle, external around new technology and I couldn't help thinking of how it also applies to Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli.

Basically, a new piece of technology comes out, everybody starts raving about like its going to change the world, people then realise its limitations, it dives in credibility before it's proven that it does serve a purpose and regains some lost respectability.

Apart from that last bit, the same could be said of Balotelli after some regarded his £16m move to Anfield as a bit of bargain.

He did score in midweek though so maybe that last bit will come true. He and Liverpool will certainly hope so.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes strikers from Europe have gone a bit soft and a lack of street football is to blame.

"When football is more formalised, it's less about developing your individual skill and fighting attitude. We've lost that a bit," says Wenger.

"Maybe it's because in Europe street football has gone. If you go back 30 or 40 years in England, life was tougher.

"We're much more protective and have all become a bit softer.

"In street football when you're 10-years-old, you want to play with 15-year-olds. Then you have to prove you're good, you have to fight and win impossible balls."

This morning we have been working in tandem with the Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live and asking you to tell us about the weird and wonderful objects you have used as a goalpost.

Matthew Brewer:, external Used to play with my brother in my grandma's living room using an orange. The fireplace was one goal and the door frame was the other.

Gareth Griffiths:, external Chemical waste bins playing lab football. We would make the ball out of latex gloves wrapped inside each other and twisted until it became a decent size. Usually took about 50 gloves and people would pass it around taking it in turns to improve it. Lab football taught us great skills as the danger involved was an incentive to show great glove ball control.

Chris Baker:, external I can remember my mum sending me to the shops to pick up some bits. On the way back I bumped into a few mates playing footie, I joined in and we started a match, I made the second goal from a six-pint of milk and a four-pack of baked beans... Those were the days.

Send your entries and pictures to the MOTD Facebook page,, external on #bbcfootball, external on Twitter, 81111 on text, or via Google+, external pages. (All entries welcome. Editor's decision is final)

The FA Cup is back on the BBC.

Watch BBC Sport's FA Cup trail as the first round of the world famous competition gets under way next weekend with Warrington Town v Exeter live on BBC Two.

Fans will be able to enjoy every twist and turn along the road to Wembley this season with extensive coverage across all platforms.

This includes up to 16 live matches on TV, live commentaries on Radio 5 live and BBC local radio, and every FA Cup goal being available to watch online.

Our countdown of the 50 greatest FA Cup goals continues - and we want your latest vote.

Pick your favourite from the list below and vote on the right-hand side of the page, or using the 'vote' tab on mobiles. You have until 11:30 GMT to vote.

A moment of magic from Arsenal's Dennis Bergkamp in 1997.

Everton's Louis Saha scores after only 25 seconds of the 2009 final against Chelsea.

Ben Watson scores the only goal in injury time as Wigan upset the odds to beat Manchester City in the 2013 final.

Manchester United beat rivals Liverpool in the 1996 final thanks to Eric Cantona's strike.

Arsenal midfielder Charlie George scores an extra-time winner in the 1971 final against Liverpool.

Matthew Hanlan volleys Sutton into the history books against Coventry.

Scott Young sends Cardiff - then playing in the old Second Division - into the fourth round against Leeds.

Watch all of the goals here.

Former Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen on Graziano Pelle: "I remember when he first came to Holland at AZ, and he didn't do anything. He went away and Ronald Koeman brought him back to Feyenoord and something worked for him. He is also the best looking player in the Premier League now."

Southampton striker Graziano Pelle must be asking himself what all the fuss is about when it comes to the Premier League supposedly being one of the toughest leagues in the world.

The 29-year-old Italian was signed from Feyenoord in the summer after scoring 55 goals in 66 matches for the Dutch club under current boss Ronald Koeman.

He has now scored six in nine and will be out to improve on that when Southampton visit Hull later on. Before that though, you can hear his thoughts during an interview on BBC Football Focus, which starts at 12:10 GMT on BBC One.