Newcastle vs Liverpool rocked by last-minute injury blow as star out for weeks

Injuries have hampered both Newcastle and Liverpool ahead of the opening day clash in the Premier League, with a last-minute issue rocking the clash for one team.

Federico Chiesa of Liverpool runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Dan Burn of Newcastle United during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Liverpool

Newcastle has been hit with a key injury ahead of its clash with Liverpool

Liverpool's clash with Newcastle United has been rocked, as the newly appointed Magpies captain, Dan Burn, has suffered a last-minute injury.

According to a report from the Daily Mail, the defender suffered an ankle issue in training during the week, which will now rule him out of action against the Reds.

Burn is now facing weeks on the sidelines to recover from the injury, coming as a huge blow to new head coach Matthias Jaissle before his inaugural match at St. James' Park.

The captain joins Tino Livramento and Joelinton in being unavailable for the clash, meaning the manager will need to turn to other options in his team.

Newcastle is already set for some key changes, even without the injuries, due to the loss of some important players such as Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, and Anthony Gordon.

There are potential debuts in line for the likes of goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek, right-back Amar Dedic, midfielder Sean Steur, and winger Bazoumana Toure, showing the amount of change that has occurred for the side in the past few months.

The loss of Burn now means that the two main centre-backs are likely to be Malick Thiaw alongside Sven Botman, who are an experienced pair.

Dan Burn looks dejected after England's World Cup defeat to Argentina

Dan Burn looks dejected after England's World Cup defeat to Argentina

Newcastle aren't the only team that will see some change for the opening clash at St. James' Park, as Liverpool is also undergoing plenty of switches, albeit not as much in the locker room.

The arrival of Andoni Iraola in the dugout for the Reds will see the style of play shift from patient and possession-based into one that is more focused on intensity and pressing in the right moments.

The Spaniard showed that he could implement it well with Bournemouth, where he progressively secured better finishes in the Premier League, often landing some impressive results and performances over some of the best in the division.

However, a switch to Anfield is a different challenge, one that he hopes will see the team progress further, following last season's disappointment.

There are fewer changes in the roster of players available compared to the previous campaign, though a trio of Jeremy Jacquet, Ronald Araujo, and Victor Munoz could all be handed their first minutes for the Reds.

"I feel excited," Iraola said ahead of the game. "I can feel it even in the atmosphere when you train with the players. You feel like this week is a little bit different.

"We've been preparing friendlies, we've been preparing for other opposition, but this smells different. I'm looking forward to being there on Sunday and feel the pressure and start a competition that is what we like."