Carroll named on bench to face Magpies

GEORDIE striker Andy Carroll has been deemed fit enough to start on the bench for Liverpool against his former club Newcastle United at Anfield today. Carroll has been desperate to face the Magpies for the first time since his £35m switch from St James' Park in January. But he has been struggling with a thigh injury and that has led to Kenny Dalglish opting against throwing him in from the start. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew names an unchanged team to the side that drew 1-1 at Blackpool eight days earlier. LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Johnson; Spearing, Lucas; Meireles, Suarez, Rodriguez; Kuyt. Subs: Gulacsi (gk), Carroll, Cole, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, Shelvey, Robinson. NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-4-2): Krul; Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Enrique; Barton, Nolan, Tiote, Gutierrez; Ameobi, Lovenkrands. Subs: Harper (gk), Perch, R Taylor, S Taylor, Ranger, Ferguson, Kuqi.