Matty Renton, The Magpie Channel TV, external

It's a strange feeling coming away from the Treble winners being disappointed and deflated after a narrow defeat, but that's exactly how myself and most of the Toon army felt on Saturday night.

Losing 1-0 at the Etihad stadium would be considered a decent result for the majority of Premier League sides. However, Eddie Howe's black and white army have high hopes this season, especially after the opening weekend demolition of Aston Villa. Heading to Manchester there was a real sense of optimism that for the first time in 20 years we could actually get a result there. City had just played a couple of days prior and the fact they were missing key players such as Kevin De Bruyne gave hope to the travelling Geordies.

Then Phil Foden stepped up, proved his worth and stole the show.

The disappointment for me is that Newcastle never really laid a glove on Guardiola's side. I think we showed them too much respect. It felt like the Carabao Cup final again. Coming up against the biggest and best teams who weren't actually at their best and Newcastle not capitalising - not going for it, not having the confidence or belief to strike, no intensity or velocity.

Is this a mentality hurdle? It's one we must get over if we are wanting to take that next step, reach that next level and compete with the elite. The Champions League is in fact just around the corner...

Michael Brown
Former Manchester City midfielder on BBC's Football Daily podcast

We are going to have to see a real improvement from this Liverpool start. A slow start against Bournemouth, obviously they got the job done but yeah, it all bodes for a really, really top game.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool defender Joel Matip says he "needs to adapt" his game to accommodate Trent Alexander-Arnold's new role in the Liverpool team.

A statement from Liverpool's website describes Alexander-Arnold's new role as "a hybrid role that, when the Reds are in possession, permits him to drift inside from right-back to central midfield".

"It is obviously a different kind of situation for me now and I need to adapt. I think it will get better and better in the season," Matip told Liverpool's official matchday programme.

"For sure I have to think of different things on the pitch because the right-back will not be there in the first moment. We need to adapt, but at the same time we have got some more players and some new players in the midfield.

"There are always some pros and cons but there is no perfect system. It’s how we live the system we are playing and I feel confident of our system."

Get the latest Liverpool news straight to your phone

Image source, BBC Sport

Newcastle's opening-day win against Aston Villa was a triumph and then it was a bit of a comedown for them. There was so much excitement that Newcastle could go there and take the game to Manchester City and they didn't do that.

Liverpool have so many good attacking players - Luis Diaz's goal last week was brilliant, Diogo Jota is a handful, Mohamed Salah of course and Dominik Szoboszlai looks a talented player, but do they have that midfield protection?

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Joe's prediction: Liverpool look like they are going to concede a lot of goals this season, but they will score a few too. 3-3

Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports: "I love watching Isak play, it's not just the goals, it's the all round play. He's ahead of Callum Wilson, I think Wilson is the back-up player now. He's a superstar."

Newcastle striker Alexander Isak said on Sky Sports: "I don't want to have to much time to be proud of myself because there's so much more I want to achieve. I want to win titles."

Michael Brown
Former Manchester City midfielder on BBC's Football Daily podcast

It's going to be an interesting game. I saw Newcastle play last week at Manchester City. I thought they would have been a little more attacking and been a little bit better than what they actually did in the game.

They defended well, they had a good shape, as you'd expect from an Eddie Howe side but they didn't create too much going forward and the gaps were there.

You can see how far they have come. They are progressing well and they have had some great recruitment.

Part of the build up to the game at St James' Park today has involved reports that forward Mohamed Salah is being eyed up as the latest big-name star to move to Saudi Arabia.

Al-Ittihad are reported to be interested , externalin the Egypt forward, 31, who joined the Reds from Roma in 2017.

However, speaking before Liverpool's Premier League game with Newcastle on Sunday, Jurgen Klopp said Salah is "100% committed" to the club.

"There is nothing to talk about, he is a Liverpool player," said Klopp.

"He is essential and will be. There is nothing there. My life philosophy [is] I think about a problem when I have it."

Image source, Getty Images

Striker Callum Wilson said "there's no title talk going on at Newcastle right now" but that qualifying for Europe again "is a must" for the Magpies this season.

Eddie Howe's side will play in the Champions League group stage for the first time since the 2002-2003 season, and have been touted as potential challengers for the Premier League title.

"I just let people do the talking," Wilson told the Footballer's Football Podcast.

"Us internally, we want to improve season on season so we've got to Europe this year and we're going to play in that, experience that and when everyone gets a taste of that we're gonna want more of it.

"We're not gonna go back to Saturday, Saturday and a 38 game season, we're gonna want to play those European games.

"I feel that European football this season is a must and a minimum and beyond that you let everyone else do the talking and place you where they want to place you in the league.

"Also, ultimately, for us internally as a group and a squad, keep your feet on the ground. There's no title talk going on at Newcastle right now."

Listen to The Footballer's Football Podcast

Image source, Getty Images

Callum Wilson says he is unsure how summer signing Sandro Tonali ended up out for an evening meal at a J D Wetherspoon in Newcastle.

The midfielder was pictured eating out by fans at the well-known chain and appeared to have made a reservation as his surname was visible on a sign on his table.

Asked how this came to be, team-mate Wilson told The Footballer's Football Podcast: "I came into training, sitting at breakfast. Everyone was saying 'did you see the pictures of him in Wetherspoons?' I was like ‘surely not?’

"He came into the canteen and it was one of the awkward moments when you’re talking about someone and they enter the room so it goes silent.

"One of the lads was like ‘did you enjoy Wetherspoons?'

"He was like ‘yeah it’s good’.

"People were saying ‘there are better restaurants’. I am not sure if he has just Googled a restaurant. I never got to the bottom of it."

Wilson's co-presenter - West Ham striker Michail Antonio - said: "I am not going to lie, I have been to a Wetherspoons. The madness for me is that man phoned up and booked a table. And put his name to it."

Listen to The Footballer's Football Podcast

Shay Given said on Sky Sports: "Last year, Liverpool beat them twice. It's always a big game against Liverpool. There's no easy game against them, Klopp will have them fired up. There's no doubt about that."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp speaking to Sky Sports: "This will be a proper test. Newcastle for the past one and a half, two years, have been taking steps pretty much every week. You can see a good football team, a well-organised team, a counter-pressing team. They make it difficult for every opponent and they will make it difficult for us today but we will try anyway."

On Wataru Endo making his first start: "I think it makes sense after a few sessions and in a really key role. Everything we did in training Wataru looked really good so it was clear that he will start today."

On choosing between Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota: "Diogo couldn't train the day before yesterday when we had a really important session from a tactical point of view. He had a little cold or whatever like a few players during the week.

"We still have some problems with players are are not available: Curtis will be back from Monday, Thiago will be back from Monday, Stefan will then be a step further. After the international break we then play every three or four days. Then they will all get enough minutes. The players will be used to that."

On Ibrahima Konate's injury: "He will be back after the international break. It's not too serious but it's serious enough to not be involved. I expect him to be back after the international break so let's see."

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at St. James' Park

Not much British Summer Time about the weather here in Newcastle. Lots of heavy rain about but it has relented in time for kick-off between Newcastle United and Liverpool.

The surface at St. James' Par has taken quite a soaking and should add an extra layer of excitement to an eagerly-awaited meeting as both sides try to make a big early season statement.

Newcastle United

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, speaking to Sky Sports, on what his side do on big occasions: "I think we commit to the performance. We commit in any way whether that's on the ball or off the ball. I don't think there's any doubt or mixed messages. The crowd will be there for us as they always are but we need to make sure that we're there."On if recent success has made competing against the likes of Liverpool an expectation: "I think there's an expectation from all of us to perform at our highest level, I don't think internally it's changed. We're going to need the fans in every game this season, you're seeing in the Premier League this season already how tough the competition is."

On if Newcastle are out for revenge after two defeats last season: "No it hasn't. Those two experiences were different for us in different ways. Liverpool will know how tough the game are against them, hopefully we can come out on top in this one."

On how to deal with Trent Alexander-Arnold being in midfield: First and foremost Trent is an outstanding footballer and he can really create from that central area. It's coincided with a really good of results for them so we have to deal with that and play our game a well.

Jamie Carragher
Former Liverpool defender on Sky Sports

An exciting end to the game wasn't it?

I felt that when it went to 1-1 Sheffield United seemed to lose their heads a bit.

They were flying around after the ball clearly feeding off the energy from the crowd. They just needed to calm themselves down.

But in the end City showed their class, and that is what top teams do.

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle striker Callum Wilson says the Magpies are "underdogs" but will be "relentless" against Liverpool on Sunday.

"We are back at home and we are turning this place into a fortress," Wilson told The Footballer's Football podcast.

"Liverpool are a top team and come here in good form. We are going to back ourselves like you do in every team against everybody.

"You want to win the game. You are going out to win the game. You are going out there not to draw, but to be ruthless, kill, be relentless, that's the way we play."

Listen to The Footballer's Football Podcast where Wilson and Michail Antonio offer insight into life in the game

City win their opening three matches of a Premier League season for the first time since 2016/17, in Pep Guardiola's first campaign as manager - when they won each of their opening six league games.