Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League clash between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield.
The hosts come into this Boxing Day encounter sitting four points clear at the top of the table and will be looking tp remain unbeaten for the entire first half of the season today.
Newcastle, meanwhile, sit 15th and are five points clear of the relegation zone after 18 games of the campaign.
Make sure you don't miss a moment of the action courtesy of our minute-by-minute updates below.
The league leaders are in action here at Anfield today as Liverpool host Newcastle United in what is usually one of the more goal-laden and exciting fixtures in the competition.
We will have a close look at both teams in a short while, but let's start by checking out the team news...
Well, there were suggestions that Liverpool might name a weakened side for this match with games against Arsenal and Man City coming up, but Jurgen Klopp sticks with a strong XI and he looks to press home his side's advantage at the top of the table.
Mane, Firmino and Salah all start for the hosts, while Xherdan Shaqiri also comes into the team in what looks like it will be a 4-2-3-1 formation.
However, he has failed to find the back of the net in his last two outings here, and should he draw another blank today then it would be a three-game drought for the first time in his Liverpool career.
© Reuters
He comes in for James Milner, while Shaqiri and former Newcastle man Georginio Wijnaldum also come into the team as Fabinho and Keita drop to the bench.
Robertson completes the back four on the right - and will no doubt be looking to attack whenever possible - while Alisson, as ever, is between the sticks.
It does mean that Matt Ritchie is expected to play in a slightly deeper role than he is used to, but he and Yedlin on the opposite flank will pose a threat on the counter when Newcastle do win the ball.
Fabian Schar drops out of the starting XI as a result of that, with Lascelles and Dummett making up the central three this afternoon.
The likes of Rondon, Perez and former Liverpool defender Manquillo all drop to the bench for the Magpies, with Muto and Joselu leading the line.
Isaac Hayden comes into the midfield in his place, while Kenedy is also included to add pace on the counter and to provide extra defensive cover in the wide areas.
That result means that the lead remains four points heading into today's fixtures, and Liverpool fans will have one eye on events at the King Power Stadium today as Leicester host the champions.
© Reuters
The Reds are still unbeaten and have made the best start to a top-flight season in their entire history, having still dropped only six points from the 54 on offer so far this term.
The positive is that eight of the last nine teams to have been top of the table on Christmas Day have gone on to win the trophy, although the only exception in that time were Liverpool themselves in 2013-14.
The Reds have won their last seven of those and could today make it eight on the bounce for the first time since the run of 11 which took them to the brink of glory in 2013-14.
The Reds have kept more clean sheets than anyone else in the division and their tally of only seven goals conceded is the joint fewest after 18 games of a season in English top-flight history - level with Chelsea's class of 2008-09.
© Reuters
Indeed, you have to go back to April 2017 - 29 matches ago - for the last time Liverpool were beaten at home in the Premier League.
After today Liverpool have one more match left of 2018 - at home to Arsenal - before beginning 2019 with a mouth-watering clash against title rivals Manchester City at the Etihad.
The Magpies arrive at Anfield with very little expectation on their shoulders today, but you can be sure that they will try to frustrate the Reds and - if they succeed - then it may not be a happy Boxing Day for the hosts.
Things are still precarious, the, but Newcastle were in the relegation zone at this stage of last term - not to mention two points worse off - and they went on to finish 10th in the table.
Only Huddersfield have scored fewer goals than Newcastle 14 from the opening 18 games of the season, which isn't ideal when coming up against the best defensive record in the division today.
The Magpies played out a goalless draw with bottom-placed Fulham on Saturday, failing to register a single shot on target against a team which had, before then, failed to keep a clean sheet i the league all season.
© Reuters
It does not bode well for a team that has lost nine of their last 10 games against teams sitting top of the table, although perversely being away from home may actually help Benitez's side today.
Newcastle are unbeaten in their last four away league games, winning two of the last three, and if they can pull off a shock result here then they will have won back-to-back top-flight away games for the first time since New Year's Day.
I cannot see past a comfortable home win in this one. Benitez can make his teams hard to break down, but Newcastle have a torrid record here at Anfield and Liverpool are in winning style.
SPORTS MOLE: Liverpool 3-0 Newcastle
Newcastle have visited Anfield 22 times since then, losing 18 and drawing two since their maiden victory in April 1994.
Liverpool have at least scored in each of their last 22 home league games against Newcastle, which is a competition record.
The reverse content last season ended in a 1-1 draw, though, with Joselu cancelling out Coutinho's opener.
LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Wijnaldum; Shaqiri, Firmino, Mane; Salah
NEWCASTLE STARTING XI: Dubravka; Yedlin, Fernandez, Lascelles, Dummett, Ritchie; Diame, Hayden, Kenedy; Muto; Joselu
A corner is played short for Robertson, who whips his cross into the box. It is a poor clearance from Lascelles as he heads it straight to Lovren, but the Liverpool defender still has a lot to do. From there he lashes a brilliant half-volley right into the top corner, leaving the keeper no chance.
© Reuters
Newcastle have limited Liverpool's clear chances, although they have struggled to create much of their own and that is what they need to improve on more than anything in the second half.
A poor header from Lascelles saw the ball drop to his feet inside the area, and he lashed his half-volley into the roof of the net.
© Reuters
The visitors have had a couple of sights of goals themselves through Muto and Joselu, but both failed to make the most of headed opportunities inside the area.
10 - Mohamed Salah has scored in 10 Premier League games this season, more than any other player in the competition. Regular.— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 26, 2018
SALAH SLOTS HOME
Liverpool are 2-0 up as Salah scores from the spot, but was it a penalty?
Follow all of today's Premier League action here: https://t.co/wAfiNMqkLz pic.twitter.com/oyiuPrvNf1— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 26, 2018
Scoring most goals for @LFC in a year (all competitions):
44 - Ian Rush (1986)
38 - Ian Rush (1982)
37 - Roger Hunt (1965)
37 - Robbie Fowler (1996)
36 - @MoSalah (2018)#LFC #LIVNEW— Gracenote Live (@GracenoteLive) December 26, 2018
The hosts pepper the Newcastle box with crosses and relentless pressure which eventually ends with Henderson sliding a pass to Alexander-Arnold down the right channel. The full-back puts a low pass into the box where Shaqiri is waiting to tap into an empty net from close range.
Salah whips a lovely corner into the box and Fabinho is in front of the keeper to nod it home for his first goal for the club.
Dejan Lovren got things underway for the hosts this afternoon before second-half strikes from Salah, Shaqiri and Fabinho wrapped up an eighth straight win and saw the Reds tighten their grip on a first league title since 1990.
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's Premier League clash as Liverpool march on with an eighth straight win to take a six-point lead at the top of the table. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!