Newcastle win the game's first corner and it's a deep one which finds the head of a player in black and white but it comes to nothing.

Lovely stuff from Liverpool in the opening moments.

Roberto Firmino to Sadio Mane to Firmino...Liverpool are already spraying the ball around.

Applause from The Kop.

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Kenny Dalglish is sat next to Alan Shearer while Kevin Keegan is a couple of seats away in the directors box.

How about that for a line-up?

Mohamed Salah gets us under way.

The teams are out. The Kop is in fine voice. And the Toon Army have arrived at Anfield in large numbers.

We're moments from kick-off.

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Liverpool

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Simon Gleave, head of sports analysis, Gracenote:

"After last weekend's results, Liverpool have become the favourites to win this season's Premier League. TheEuro Club Index, external rates the Reds' chance of lifting the title at around 52%. Manchester City still hold a 34% chance of winning the league but don't write off Tottenham Hotspur just yet (13% chance with a little over half the season remaining)"

Guy Mowbray
Match of the Day commentator at Anfield

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Jurgen Klopp's demeanour at his Christmas Eve morning press conference was telling: serious but relaxed, and fully focussed ONLY on Newcastle, against whom a win would be Liverpool's 26th league success of the calendar year - a new club record.

He outlined the importance of being "patient" against a (likely) back five, and the "need to stay angry, stay greedy".

Rafa Benitez will be all smiles to start with on his latest return 'home', after coming close to being angry himself at the weekend when his Newcastle side failed to register a shot on target against struggling Fulham.

As Leicester and Crystal Palace [with Andros Townsend's rocket] showed on Saturday though, just one shot can make a massive difference.

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Three changes for Liverpool from the side that started the 2-0 win over Wolves on 21 December.

Out go James Milner, Fabinho and Naby Keita while Trent Alexander-Arnold, Georginio Wijnaldum and Xherdan Shaqiri are recalled.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Shaqiri, Firmino, Mane, Salah.

Subs: Clyne, Fabinho, Keita, Sturridge, Lallana, Mignolet, Origi.

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Rafael Benitez makes six changes to the Newcastle side that started the goalless draw with Fulham on Saturday.

Coming into the side is Japan forward Yoshinori Muto, midfielder Isaac Hayden, Kenedy, Argentine defender Federico Fernandez, Joselu and DeAndre Yedlin.

Out are Javier Manquillo, Fabian Schar, Christian Atsu, Ki Sung-yueng, Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon.

Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Yedlin, Lascelles, Fernandez, Dummett, Ritchie, Hayden, Diame, Kenedy, Muto, Joselu.

Subs: Schar, Murphy, Rondon, Perez, Manquillo, Longstaff, Woodman.

There's a heck of a long way to go in the title race but one thing is certain - Liverpool will reach the halfway stage today as leaders.

Not since 1990 and the days of Grobbelaar, Rush and Barnes have the Reds been crowned champions of England.

Will they continue their march and end that long wait this season?

There's a familiar face looking to disrupt their progress at Anfield today in the shape of Rafa Benitez.

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Boxing Day morning 2017: Twenty points behind leaders Manchester City, fourth in the table, and more draws and defeats than wins.

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Boxing Day morning 2018: Top of the table with a four-point lead, unbeaten in the top-flight, and 15 wins from 18 games.

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Will 2019 be a year to remember for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool?

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