This Is Newcastle's Strongest Team To Play Liverpool

A lot of talk has already appeared regarding who Newcastle boss Alan Pardew should play tomorrow against Liverpool: in the wake of the Man City game, the manager now has one of the most difficult decisions he's ever had to make. Had that youthful team lost, he could have cast all of those players off as back-up to the first team (as most of them seemingly were by their selection in the first place), but now he has the added head-ache of having to drop some players who have played out of their skin. Should Ryan Taylor play? Should Rolando Aarons? Is Papiss Cisse fit enough to come straight back in? What about Steven Taylor? These are just some of the questions that face the manager as he stares at his note-pad wondering which players to put out against Brendan Rodgers' side for the early kick off, and overall, the biggest issue is whether or not he changes his line-up from the team that overcame Spurs in the last Premier League game. It isn't enough to choose based on that game though: Liverpool are a tough prospect, and while playing like the away team at St. James' Park should be an absolute no-go, as it will play into Liverpool's hands, and there should be balance between playing with the confidence of a team on a three match streak, and one who doesn't want to be punished by Liverpool's threats. The natural assumption is that Pardew will play conservatively, leaving his central midfield deeper and looking to break with pace, but that isn't necessarily the answer, as giving a team managed by Rodgers lots of the ball is a recipe for disaster all round. So what is the answer, exactly? Well, Pardew could start by playing the strongest Newcastle team available to him... To quickly address the strange seeming selections: Ryan Taylor might not be fully fit yet, but the 90 minutes he played against City suggests he's a lot further along the road than some other long term injuries. Remember, he has played in behind-closed-doors friendlies too, in order to specifically build fitness, so it's no accident that he's in good condition. provided he came through training fine with no reactions from the game, he should play, because he's the best defensive option for the position in the absence of Cheick Tiote, and his passing range is a major boost. Plus, he's the best set-piece taker at the club, and Liverpool have struggled this season to defend in the air. Clearly, that is why Papiss Cisse should also be chosen, despite his injuries, as he's going to offer more of a threat than Adam Armstrong, and probably Ayoze Perez, even despite his goal against Spurs. Sissoko clearly needs to play centrally after his latest performances, and Haidara is a far better left-back than Paul Dummett, who deserves to be considered as a centre-half if his City performance is anything to go by. And if Rolando Aarons is in the right condition, he needs to play ahead of Yoan Gouffran, who isn't as effective going forward as he was because Pardew has asked too much of him defensively in the 4-3-2-1 formation. The 4-3-3 will at least mean the team can defend a bit more from the front rather than opening a giant gap in central midfield and inviting Liverpool to run at them, and that should mean Aarons has more time running with the ball, rather than running back to his own goal. And he and Haidara linked up nicely against City in the first half. Who do you think should start against Liverpool? Share your thoughts below in the comments.