Goals continue to flow at Anfield under Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool
strengthened their claim for European football next season with a 3-0
victory over Newcastle.
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The Reds, who have scored 14 in their last three home matches, moved
above Tottenham into fifth place having rarely been troubled by the
Magpies.
Dirk Kuyt's eighth in his last seven Barclays Premier League matches was
sandwiched between another for Maxi Rodriguez, who hit a hat-trick in
the 5-0 win over Birmingham last week, and one for the impressive Luis
Suarez.
Only a goal for Andy Carroll, the subject of incessant abuse from the
travelling fans, against his former club would have capped off the
performance.
The £35million striker came on for the final 20 minutes but made little
impact save for increasing the vitriol from the large away contingent.
Their anger at the way Carroll left them in January, with the club
claiming he handed in a transfer request when made aware of Liverpool's
interest, was understandable but he was never going to be a major player
in this game having missed last week's victory with a knee injury.
The man who was the main reason Newcastle's record of just two wins at
Anfield in their last 39 visits was not improved was Suarez.
Carroll's fellow deadline day signing has made a much greater impression
and his inventiveness and workrate were a constant problem to the
Magpies.
But it took even him a long while to get things going as, having played
their best football of the season in demolishing Birmingham, the first
half failed to reach anywhere near those heights despite taking a
10th-minute lead.
Raul Meireles had already bundled a shot wide from a cross by Glen
Johnson, returning at left-back after a three-match absence with a
hamstring injury, before the hosts went ahead.
Even then they required a slice of luck.
Teenager John Flanagan's deep
cross was only half headed clear by Mike Williamson and Rodriguez's
follow-up volley took a big deflection off Danny Simpson.
It went downhill from there for Dalglish's side as they conceded too
much territory to their opponents, who enjoyed a sustained period of
possession without really threatening.
It was briefly broken by Jay Spearing's dipping shot, which Newcastle
goalkeeper Tim Krul claimed at the second attempt with Meireles bearing
down on him.
The home side were fortunate, however, that for all their time on the
ball Newcastle struggled to carve out a decent opportunity.
Liverpool-born midfielder Joey Barton was the Magpies' main culprit as
his delivery from set-pieces was poor.
The one time he did put a free-kick into a dangerous area Johnson headed
behind for a corner, from which Kevin Nolan subsequently ballooned a
shot over.
Liverpool's only other chance of the half saw Lucas Leiva's looping
header easily caught by Krul, while Newcastle left-back Jose Enrique, a
summer target for the Reds, had the final opportunity with a free-kick
deflected behind off the wall.
For the second half Liverpool's full-backs switched sides, with Flanagan
having been given a difficult time by Jonas Gutierrez.
But the youngster was almost caught napping within seconds of the
restart as Nolan's low cross was side-footed wide by Barton at the far
post.
Luck was certainly on Liverpool's side as Suarez almost scored with a
deflected shot which hit the side netting and Rodriguez hit the crossbar
as he tried to centre from the left.
There was a hint of fortune about Liverpool's 59th-minute second when
Suarez isolated Williamson wide on the left from Jose Reina's kick and
was sent tumbling by the defender right on the edge of the penalty area
close to the byline.
Referee Peter Walton, who had frustrated the home crowd with a number of
decisions, had no hesitation in pointing to the spot to allow Kuyt to
score.
The Holland international should have doubled his tally with a free
header seven yards out minutes later but missed the target.
Suarez made no such mistake in the 65th minute when he exchanged passes
with Kuyt to sidefoot under Krul from 10 yards.
With the game safe Dalglish sent on Carroll for Rodriguez with 20
minutes to go, just before Meireles' diving header was deflected behind
by Fabricio Coloccini.
Carroll barely touched the ball as his side ran out comfortable winners
and, despite having played one match more than Tottenham, Liverpool are
strong contenders to take the Europa League berth.
Source: DSG