Expect a feisty and fiery St James' when the Reds visit

IT will be feisty all right, with more edge than a broken plate. A match-up of good memories and bad blood. Of terrace aggression and boardroom suspicion.

- JOHN GIBSON

Newcastle v Liverpool on Monday night. The passions of Geordies pitched against Scousers. Only this time with the furnace fire turned up even higher than ever.

Let's face the feisty facts first. Liverpool unsettled Anthony Gordon to such an extent that United lost his mind for around six months. Now they have stirred it again big time with Alexander Isak to the point where football can talk about nothing else but the striker who has gone on strike.

To make matters worse the Premier League champions moved in to pinch United's long-term target Hugo Ekitike at the same time as unsettling Isak who has taken it to ridiculous proportions all of which has threatened to derail the Mags' return to the Champions League before even a plane ticket is booked.

It's easy to imagine that things could be a tad frosty in the boardroom before kick off!

Of course despite all this Liverpool provide the happiest memories for Geordies since the European Fairs Cup was claimed way back in 1969. Maybe they won the title by a country mile last season but Liverpool were outgunned and out-thought in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.