Jurgen Klopp makes Newcastle United top six admission - and delivers Alexander Isak verdict

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes Newcastle United have ‘everything you need’ to challenge for a top six place in the Premier League.

The Magpies travel to Merseyside looking to end a miserable run of form at Anfield after going without a Premier League win in front of the Kop since April 1994.

Despite injury concerns over the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin and Bruno Guimaraes, the Magpies are still in buoyant mood after going unbeaten during their first four league fixtures so far this season.

The momentum built up from an impressive run of form during the second half of last season has carried on throughout the summer and into the start of the new campaign.

Along with champions Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool are one of only three sides to have taken all three points from United in a Premier League fixture since the start of April.

The ambition shown by the PIF-led consortium and the work undertaken by Magpies boss Eddie Howe has not gone unnoticed by Klopp ahead of Wednesday night’s clash.

He said: “If Eddie gets time, and stuff like this, they will definitely be (a top six contender).

“That’s the world, the football world, it’s completely fine. Newcastle as a great club and obviously it has a lot of success in the past, now for a few years not that much anymore.

“But they now have everything you need to be a top six club, or whatever that means.

“They are unbeaten this season, since Eddie is there, they have got an awful lot of points.

“They played a really good second part of the season.  I don’t know when Eddie started but since he is there they are really stable, difficult for us to play against.

“They are a threat, that’s how it is.”

Klopp revealed he has been impressed by United’s transfer business over the last two windows.

Record signing Alexander Isak is awaiting a work permit as he looks to make his first appearance since completing a move from Real Sociedad on Friday night.

The former Borussia Dortmund manager praised the addition of they Swede and name-checked a number of other additions made over the last eight months.

“With Isak, they have brought in a really good player,” he said.

“Not only him, Botman, all the things there, Bruno Guimaraes last year, smart signings, good signings.

“Wood, absolute a real machine up front, these kind of things.

“If Callum Wilson can not play, each team would recognise that because he is really a top class striker - but they (Newcastle) are completely different.”