Looking ahead to the Newcastle United team v Liverpool.
That match now only 38 days away.
United kicking off their 2026/27 Premier League season against the scousers at 4.30pm on Sunday 23 August.
The bulk of the Newcastle United squad is now back at the training ground preparing for the new season and only those who have been on World Cup duty still waiting to report, as they are given some bonus time off to rest and recuperate.
It now all feels a bit more real with the squad returning, a behind closed doors friendly reported to be happening on Saturday, then in nine days time the first public friendly of pre-season at Gateshead on Saturday 25 July.
I think we all anticipate significant further activity in this 2026 summer transfer window but I have been assessing what we have now as things stand.
This currently looks to me the most likely Newcastle United team v Liverpool to kick off the season:
Nick Pope
Tino Livramento
Malick Thiaw
Sven Botman
Lewis Hall
Bruno Guimaraes
Jacob Ramsey
Joelinton
Anthony Elanga
Harvey Barnes
Will Osula
If that was the Newcastle United team v Liverpool how would you feel?
A lot of it of course also depends on injury and levels of fitness, though I don’t see any of the (so far) new signings thrown straight in, so Bazoumana Toure, Sean Steur and Ewen Jaouen a place on the bench at best.
Other potential options to start against Liverpool include Nick Woltemade, Lewis Miley, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, Yoane Wissa and Jacob Murphy.