Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe insists that lessons have been learned over the Magpies’ poor second half against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
But those learnings must be transferred into this evening’s crunch clash at Anfield. Howe watched his team storm into a 4-1 lead in the first half at St James’ Park in one of the best spells of attacking football this season on Tyneside. Howe has warned that the Magpies can’t afford another rough spell like the second half – in which two goals were conceded and Forest dominated – when Newcastle head to Anfield.
The Reds won’t have Arne Slot on the touchline after the Dutchman picked up a touchline ban for the clash after his antics in the Merseyside derby. Howe said: “We need every aspect of our game to be functioning as it was in the first half against Nottingham Forest, albeit we conceded the first goal, that apart I thought we responded really, really well.
“We were free flowing, we were dynamic, flexible in terms of our tactical play. We showed no fear and we attacked the game and scored four great goals.
“And in a period of time where we were in a great moment, we had a great flow about us and we lost that in the second half and we’re going to need that attacking verve that we had in that first period.”
Liverpool are unbeaten away from home this season and have lost just once at Anfield back in August to Nottingham Forest. Howe is under no illusions at the size of the task tonight.
Howe, who has looked into playing a back five, said: “Their record at Anfield this season has been very strong so whatever they are trying to do, they have been doing it well from their viewpoint.
“I think we can only look from our own viewpoint and we have to be mentally very strong in this game and very clear about what we are trying to do, tactically. And we have to have the strength to impact our gameplan on them”
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