They`ve won it 5 times

5 times, 5 times, 5 times, 5 times, 5 times. Repeat ad nauseum until Saturday to get yourselves used to it as that`ll be pretty much all you hear from the Scousers this weekend. 5 times. Everyone`s favourite cheeky-chappy, lovable, Tarbuck-type rogues are back in town looking to close the gap on the Mancs and Gooners in the title race, as Sky shunts us to the brunch crunch kick off time. 5 times. Having beaten them at SJP last season they`ll be anxious to get a measure of revenge as well as keeping their much demanded Premier League hopes alive.

None so far...to follow...

5 times. Newcastle go into the game off the back of Big Sam`s allegedly positive derby game result on the 10th, with Sam claiming the 1-1 draw to be some sort of fantastic achievement against a sunderland side that is rank awful in front of goal. 5 times. On the fitness front we`ve had more injuries than Michael Shields has had shower bugg*r*ngs, with Faye, Taylor, Owen and Cacapa all seemingly ruled out against Benitez`s mob. 5 times. On the other hand, Given has popped up at just the right time to give the boss a selection headache, whilst Duff is slowly feeling his way back to fitness.

5 times. Providing everyone returns back unscathed from last night`s games the look of the side should be:

Harper, Carr, Beye, Rozenhal, Enrique or N`Zogbia, Milner, Barton, Butt, Emre, Viduka, Martins.

Bench boys: Given, Ameobi, Smith, Enrique/N`Zogbia and Edgar.

5 times. Hardly awe inspiring. 5 times. Last time round Bellamy bagged the opener before Martins and a Solano penalty settled it in our favour.

Our only hope up front for turning Carragher and possibly Hyppia.

5 times. As for the Dippers? 5 times. Hopefully Gerrard will show his England form and Crouch won`t. 5 times. Expect Reina, Finnan, possibly Agger and Carragher, Arbeloa, Pennant, Gerrard, Mascherano, Kewell, Torres and the recently burgled Kuyt (in Liverpool? Never…) to line up for them. 5 times. However a lot depends on whether Benitez believes he has enough from his second string to contain us. 5 times. They have a massive game at Anfield in midweek against Porto in the UCL and it could be the case that a few more senior players might be benched ahead of that on. 5 times. We can but hope…

Expensive and effective. Hopefully a cold Tyneside Saturday after being in the Canaries isn't his cup of tea.

2006/07: Won 2-1 Martins, Solano (pen)
2005/06: Lost 1-3 Ameobi
2004/05: Won 1-0 Robert
2003/04: Drew 1-1 Shearer (pen)
2002/03: Won 1-0 Robert
2001/02: Lost 0-2 no scorer
2000/01: Won 2-1 Solano, Dyer
1999/00: Drew 2-2 Shearer, Ferguson
1998/99: Lost 1-4 Guivarc'h
1997/98: Lost 0-2 (LC)
1997/98: Lost 1-2 Watson
1996/97: Drew 1-1 Shearer
1995/96: Won 2-1 Ferdinand, Watson
1994/95: Drew 1-1 Lee
1993/94: Won 3-0 Cole 3

Alan Wiley

A drab 1-1.

Blackburn away on Saturday 1st December at Ewood.

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