Three bets you simply have to place on Newcastle-Liverpool game

With the International break now over and England safely on the plane to Brazil next summer, we can now focus our attention back to domestic football – with our first helping of Premier League action coming from St. James’ Park this Saturday lunchtime. Newcastle host Liverpool, with Fabricio Coloccini the only fresh injury concern for either side, following an injury on international duty with Argentina. Both teams are in good form, with Liverpool sitting in second and Newcastle in sixth in Squawka’s Premier League Form Guide.

So where’s the value? I’ve had a delve into the stats to fish out the juiciest and freshest bets that 188Bet has to offer from it’s various markets on the game…

1) Highest Scoring Half – First Half @ 3.05

It’s no secret that Liverpool have come out the blocks firing in the first-half of games so far this season – and the goal stats only back this up further. Six of the nine goals (67%) scored in games at Anfield this season have been before half-time, and five of the six (83%) of goals in games away from Anfield have come in the first half.

Liverpool 3 – 1 Palace – Three Goals in the first half, one in the second

Overall, of the 15 goals scored in Liverpool games this season, 11 of them have been scored in the first-half, with just four coming in the second-half. Quick starters indeed.

It’s a similar story for Newcastle – At St. James’ Park there have been twice as many first-half goals than second-half goals (4-2), and overall Newcastle games have seen 33% more goals before half time so far this season.

2) First-Half Winner – Liverpool @ 2.35

Following on from the last bet, another bet around Liverpool’s quickness out of the blocks so far this season. Liverpool have won the first half in six of their seven games so far this season (86%!!) and they have gone on to win five of these six games that they were winning at half time, with Swansea the only team so far this season to fight back and earn any points off Liverpool in the second half of games from losing positions this season (the 2-2 draw at the Liberty Stadium).

Liverpool’s 2013/14 Form – They were winning at HT in every game apart from the loss

However, Newcastle have only been losing at half-time in two of their matches this season – but these matches were against Man City and Everton, two teams of similar quality to that of Liverpool (compared to the other teams they have played against so far).

3) First Goalscorer – Daniel Sturridge @ 5.00

There’s no other way to put it, this lad is on fire. Six goals in the first seven games of the season means that he currently leads the goalscoring charts, one ahead of Newcastle’s very own Loic Remy. These six goals have contributed 55% of Liverpool’s overall goals this season, and his ever blossoming partnership with Luiz Suarez means it is only a matter of time before he adds to this tally.

Daniel Sturridge – Shot Accuracy 2013/14

His shot accuracy of 65% is second only to Sergio Aguero in the PL (for players who have taken over 10 shots), and he has a chance conversion rate of 30%, which is absurdly good, even at this early stage in the season.

Digging even deeper though – All of his goals have been before the 37th minute in games so far this season, including two goals in the first five minutes of games. Of his six goals, four of them were the first in their respective games, with two out of his three away goals coming first. Saucy.

Get the bets on early and whatever you do, don’t step away from the telly in the first-half. Not even for a cuppa.