However, as well as being a Liverpool fan, Newell is also manager of Luton Town who host the Reds at Kenilworth Road in the third round of the FA Cup tomorrow and the former Kopite will be hoping to match his achievement of 19 years ago when, as a Luton player, he scored past Bruce Grobbelaar to knock Kenny Dalglish's side out of the FA Cup, also at the third round stage.
"Everyone is talking about Burton drawing Manchester United, but nobody can tell me that we could have got a bigger tie than this. Let's not forget that Liverpool are the European champions," says Newell.
"It's incredible to think I'm managing the team to face them nearly 20 years after knocking them out of the FA Cup as a player.
"I remember those matches very well. They drew 0-0 here in the first game, but we managed to get the same result at Anfield in the replay, and we knew we could beat them at Kenilworth Road.
"That was in the days of the plastic pitch, which they didn't like playing on, and that gave us a great chance.
"But we deserve this tie, because in my two-and-a-half years as manager we have not had any exciting FA Cup ties. They have always been difficult, unglamorous matches."