Source: Telegraph
Liverpool deepen Newcastle's relegation fears as Joey Barton sees red
Newcastle were outplayed as the hosts kept the pressure on leaders Manchester United with first-half goals from Yossi Benayoun and Dirk Kuyt, and a late header from Lucas.
Newcastle's plight worsened when Joey Barton was sent off for a bad tackle on Xabi Alonso with 11 minutes left.
The seriousness of Newcastle's position in the table was evident from their vibrant start to the game. After Steven Gerrard had surged down the left, past two tackles before falling over in the box, the action was all from the Newcastle strike force.
Obafemi Martins fired over from 15 yards while Barton's drive smashed into Daniel Agger's face. Barton, Alan Smith and Nicky Butt were snapping away in midfield as Newcastle took the game to their hosts.
Liverpool's first effort was a Gerrard free-kick from 25 yards after he had been pulled down by Fabricio Coloccini after 14 minutes.
Then Gerrard unleashed a 30-yarder that Steve Harper palmed away at full stretch. Next it was Kuyt, with a far-post header from Fabio Aurelio's cross, who failed to hit the target.
Liverpool eventually produced the opening goal after 22 minutes. The ball had fizzed into Newcastle's box from both left and right flank - and not been cleared -before Kuyt claimed possession and moved towards the bye-line before squaring the ball into the six-yard box.
Three defenders watched as Benayoun slid in to force the ball home from a yard out, his fourth in seven games. Newcastle appealed for offside, and it was mighty close, a matter of inches and the sort of decision that goes against a struggling side.
But there was no doubt about the second after 28 minutes when Kuyt's diving header from Gerrard's corner left Harper with no chance. The Newcastle marking was dreadful, with Habib Beye allowing the Dutchman a virtual free run at the ball for his 15th of the campaign.
It could have been worse for Newcastle when Alonso saw a curling 30-yarder bounce down off the bar with Harper beaten after 39 minutes.
Alonso struck the crossbar again, this time from the edge of the box, and Ryan Babel created a good chance for Gerrard.
It got worse for Newcastle after 77 minutes when Barton received a straight red card for a two-footed lunge at Alonso right in front of the Kop. Alonso was eventually carried away on a stretcher, with Lucas taking over.
And there was still time for Lucas to head in the third from Aurelio's free-kick after 88 minutes.
David Ngog then replaced a limping Javier Mascherano before Gerrard hit the crossbar in the final seconds.
