Sports - Football - Premier League - Newcastle 3:1 Liverpool
Dirk Kuyt tried to spoil the show with a cruel equaliser at the start of the second half, but Joey Barton and Andrew Carroll made sure their goals got all three points for the Magpies, making Mike Ashley's and Alan Pardew's day after the latter's controlvesial appointment and first game as Newcastle manager.
Match summary:
- Liverpool are coming to St James' Park with everything else but an enviable away record with only two wins in the last 17 Premier League games and those make all the away wins they have had this calendar year on the road. A win would take them up to 6th.
- After the turmoil of this week at the Tyneside, seeing Chris Hughton replaced by Alan Pardew as Newcastle manager and controversial owner Mike Ashley hogging the limelight and causing outrage and protests amongst the Toon Army once again, Pardew and the Magpies are desperate for a result. A win could see them climb up from 14th to 8th.
- Liverpool have won their last four games against Newcastle, scoring a total of 14 goals. They won 5-1 on the last visit to St James' Park in December 2008.
- The Magpies have lost seven of their last eight games against the Reds. The exception was a 2-1 home win in February 2007.
- New Newcastle boss Pardew makes two changes following the defeat at West Brom: Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton come into the midfield replacing Wayne Routledge and Danny Guthrie. For Liverpool, Fernando Torres returns form his short paternity leave and takes Ryan Babel's place in attack.
- David Ngog and Fernando Torres kick off the game for Liverpool at St James' Park.
- Maxi Rodriguez sends the first attempt of the night high over the bar, a nice build-up, turn and right-foot shot, ends up a waste.
- Shola Ameobi tries a cheeky sneak-through in the box with the back of his left, doesn't quite get it, easy pick-up for Pepe Reina.
- Glen Johnson on his 50th appearance for the Reds, loses the ball clumsily with a dreadful first touch, but gets a free kick out of it, after falling dramatically against Danny Simpson's block.
- The free kick is cleared, eventually the ball ends up in the box again, a shot from the edge by Sotirios Kyrgiakos is pushed away by Toon keeper Tim Krul.
- First corner of the evening goes to Liverpool, nothing from it, ends up in Krul's gloves nice, soft and easy.
- Kyrgiakos gives a stupid free kick away, jumping on top of Andrew Carroll knowing he can't get to the ball. Joey Barton takes it, Carroll knocks it down from the right side of the box and crosses it to give Kevin Nolan an easy goal in the bottom right-hand corner, his 8th of the season. They made it look easy, Liverpool's defence not covering and made to pay for it. 1-0 after 14:35 minutes, Tyneside relieved and on a high.
- Barton misskicks the next free kick from about 25 yards out, given against Johnson for a stupid tackle from behind on Jonas Gutierrez which he is booked for aswell, but the nearly had Pepe Reina worried again, but ended up safely in the Spaniards gloves.
- Wonderful pass by Johnson, headed over by Ngog, should have made more of that, at least on target.
- Torres goes down tackled by air after he is unable to connect to the ball just outside the box, Liverpool get a free kick out of his act. The Spaniard takes it and smacks it right into the wall, Ngog's shot from it goes wide and out for a goal kick.
- Reina holds on well to Carroll's low shot, still 1-0 with half an hour gone, 47%-53% in possession, Liverpool playing some nice football, connecting well, but need to keep going to find and get something out of it.
- Newcastle give away a corner after a little bit of confusion about who was claiming the ball, the corner cleared but not far outside the box, Raul Meireles' shot bounces off the goalkeeper Krul and is cleared off the line by Jose Enrique.
- Ameobi shot it deflected wide, just, the home side's first corner of the night, taken by Barton from the left, leads to nothing as a free kick is given against Carroll and his foul on Kyrgiakos.
- Free kick given against a raging, ranting Kyrgiakos, the ref calms him down, Barton takes it from a similar distance to where the goal was scored from, but it is cleared, no threat.
- Rodriguez goes down in the box, nothing given, Liverpool putting the pressure on at the end of the first half. Replays showed it was the slightest of touches by Steven Taylor on Maxi's ankle, no reason to go down in that dramatic fashion. The Argentine is still not happy though.
- Kyrgiakos heads Meireles' corner from the left wide, best chance of the half for the Reds, with the last move of the half, Newcastle 1-0 ahead at half time.
- Newcastle kick off the second half, Barton's shot held fine by Reina.
- Cruel left-footed equaliser by Dirk Kuyt on 49:00, chip comes off Taylor and passes his goalkeeper, into the back of the net. The three defenders confusing and conceding that one.
- Torres face to face with Krul in the box after Konchesky's quickly taken free kick, Campbell and Jose Enrique caught sleeping, but the keeper blocks it well. Should have been 1-2.
- Ngog, 6-7 yards out, can't get the header right and puts the ball wide. Seconds later Torres flicks one with the back foot straight to the goalkeeper. Liverpool on top so far in the second half.
- Barton crosses the ball into the box, fine cross, Carrol should have had that one but heads it over.
- Torres puts one wide to the left, just, Krul was nearly fooled.
- With just under half an hour to go, Nile Ranger comes on for Shola Ameobi who looks like he has taken a knock. Caroll wins the ball and Newcastle break from the left, Ranger nearly scoring with his first and second touch, putting the ball wide. What a wonder-sub he would have been...
- The Ranger is hungry... A free kick given against him after running and turning the Red defence mad...
- Ngog goes off bleading after his head clashed between Kyrgiakos and Bartone, the teams questioning each other about the incident but it all ends up in handshakes and backtapps, Ryan Babel is on.
- Konchesky loses the ball, Carroll and Ranger pressurising the Reds back line, give away a free kick though. Newcastle a changed side with the Ranger, much more positive, adventurous and outgoing. See if they will get something out of it.
- Guttierez bring down Johnson on the right side outside the box, clumsy but did not have many options. Ball ends up with Lucas Leiva and high and wide, nowhere near the goal.
- And there it is: Sketchy Liverpool defending, Carroll winning a header again,into the box, Joey Barton focused on the ball,claims it easily with no Liverpool player really covering or coming in, Reina nowhere inbetween, hesitant, Barton pokes it in with his right foot. It was coming, Newcastle lead again, 2-1 on 79:39.
- Cheik Tiote takes one for the team, booked for bringing down goalbound Torres, free kick comes to nothing.
- Second changes made by Liverpool and Newcastle, Alan Smith on for Nolan and Milan Jovanovic on for Maxi Rodriguez respectively, about 5 minutes to go.
- Johnson heads a corner high and over, theme of the night for Liverpool, there but not there, not able to take advantage when they were on top - just the one goal off Newcastle's mix-up.
- Carroll completes a perfect day for Newcastle on 90:36, nobody closes in on him, left-foot shot from 25 yards with loads of space, strong shot, strong goal, strong statement by Newcastle. Another away defeat for Liverpool.
- The ref blows the whistle to cheers by the Toon Army, recrimination before the game, celebration after, Newcastle 3-1 Liverpool.
Newcastle: Krul; Jose Enrique, Campbell, Simpson, Taylor; Nolan (scored 15, Smith 87), Barton (scored 80, Routledge 93), Guttierez (booked 78), Tiote (booked 83); Carroll (scored 91), Ameobi (Ranger 63).
Subs not used: Harper, Perch, Guthrie, Lovenkrands.
Liverpool: Reina; Johnson (booked 19), Kyrgiakos, Skrtel, Konchesky; Kuyt (scored 49), Meireles, Lucas, Maxi (Jovanovic 85); Torres, Ngog (Babel 72).
Subs not used: Jones, Aurelio, Kelly, Cole, Poulsen.
1st half stats:
Newcastle-Liverpool
Attempts: 4-7
On target: 4-2
Offsides: 1-1
Corners: 2-3
Free kicks: 5-11
Possession:
47%-53% after 30 minutes
46%-54% at HT
2nd half stats:
Newcastle-Liverpool
Attempts: 3-7
On target: 2-2
Offsides: 1-2
Corners: 0-2
Free kicks: 6-10
Possession:
45%-55% after 60 minutes
47%-53% at FT
Referee: Lee Mason
Man of the match: Joey Barton
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