LONDON (SE) - Liverpool will be without banned forward Luis Suarez when they travel to St James' Park to take on relegation-threatened Newcastle on Saturday.
Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool (13-12-9) have had a mixed season and find themselves 10 points off the European places (and five behind neighbours Everton) with just four games remaining. However, they will have to play those matches without their star striker after the Uruguay international was hit with a 10-match ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic in the 2-2 draw with Chelsea last weekend.
"It is the severity of the ban that has hurt most," said Rodgers. "That is something we are bitterly disappointed with - not so much the ban because everyone has seen it and Luis was very open and honest to know it was wrong. I felt it could have been 12 games but with a six-game ban and six games suspended, looking at his future behaviour. I don't think anyone would have disagreed with that.
"I can't help but look at it and feel that the punishment has been against the man rather than the incident. We will look after our employee with the objective that something like this never happens again. He's still very much part of the Liverpool family and very much part of the future."
Liverpool have drawn their last three league matches and have claimed points in seven of the last eight (4-3-1) to climb to seventh place in the table.
Newcastle (10-7-17) are six points clear of the relegation zone, but have played a game more than 18th-placed Wigan, and know they are far from safe as the end of the season looms.
"We've worked hard on the team this week and are looking forward to Saturday," said Newcastle boss Alan Pardew. "We've had a little bit of time to work with the team and for them to be fresh, and they've been so different in training.
"The players know they carry the responsibility of this club in the last games to get some good results. The target for us at this moment is just to get 40 points as quickly as possible, and that will be the same for any team in the bottom half of the table. If you get a couple of wins then you can start to look at the top ten because it is that tight, but as we speak today we just need to secure some points."
Newcastle have doubts over Papiss Cisse (rib), Cheick Tiote (hamstring) Sylvain Marveaux (groin) and Tim Krul (shoulder), but Davide Santon (hamstring), Fabricio Coloccini (back) and Ryan Taylor (knee) are out. Liverpool have doubts over Ryan Sterling (hip) and Joe Allen (shoulder), but Fabio Borini (shoulder) and Martin Kelly (knee) are out.
These teams drew 1-1 when they met at Anfield earlier in the season, with Suarez and Yohan Cabaye scoring the goals in a game that also saw Fabricio Coloccini sent off for the Magpies.
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