Balotelli scored his first domestic goal for the Reds against Swansea City in midweek.
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew is extremely wary of the threat posed by Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli when the two teams meet this lunchtime, report the Express, despite the fact that the Italian is yet to score a Premier League goal for the club since signing from AC Milan this summer.
SEE MORE:
Top 10 wonderkid attackers in the world
Premier League discipline – The 20 clubs ranked
Live Barcelona vs. Celta Vigo streaming and La Liga match preview: Suarez set to make competitive debut
The Magpies are looking for a third straight victory after successive shock results on the road at Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, but under fire manager Pardew is concerned about the threat posed by Balotelli after he bagged his first goal in domestic football in the League Cup against Swansea City this week:
“When I’ve seen the really, really big games come along, he has delivered for Italy and Manchester City.”
“Big games turn him on a little bit. It’s the other games that you really need to focus on and that’s probably an area he needs to improve.”
“We’re a big game. We are on the television and he’s under a lot of pressure, so I’m very wary of him because he can deliver on those days.”