News
NEWCASTLE UNITED 0
LIVERPOOL 3
Premier League
St.James' Park
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Kick-off 12.45pm
MATCH REPORT
NEWCASTLE United were unable to get their home form back on track as an impressive Liverpool ran-out 3-0 winners at St.James' Park.
The Reds took the lead through Steven Gerrard on 28 minutes, his 25-yard free-kick flying beyond a despairing Shay Given and into the top corner of the Gallowgate goal.
The visitors should have doubled their advantage before the break, Given racing from his line to block Torres' shot and, when United failed to clear, the Spaniard was given a second bite of the cherry with the goal gaping but saw his 30-yard shot strike the post and bounce clear.
The Magpies' hopes of getting back into the game in the second period were dashed after just 60 seconds of the restart, Dirk Kuyt turning in from close range after Sami Hyypia had flicked on Gerrard's near post corner.
And the scoring was complete in the 66th minute as Ryan Babel swept home from 12 yards after a neat exchange of passes with skipper Gerrard.
Liverpool should have added to their tally in the closing stages as Kuyt, Torres and Babel were all guilty of missing good opportunities.
SECOND HALF ACTION (click refresh for latest)
90+1min - Alan Smith is the next man in the book for a foul on Riise - to be fair to Smith it looked harsh.
The fourth official announces two minutes added time.
89min - Martins tries a snap shot from Viduka's headed knockdown but the left-foot strike is always rising and clears the crossbar.
87min - Habib Beye sees yellow after barging through the back of Torres on halfway.
86min - James Milner goes looking for a consolation for United but sees his 25-yard effort spin wide of Reina's goal.
80min - Steven Gerrard is replaced by England team-mate Peter Crouch.
79min - Momo Sissoko goes into Alan Wiley's book for a high challenge on Barton.
78min - Jose Enrique makes way for Stephen Carr.
76min - John Arne Riise replaces Dirk Kuyt.
75min - Babel gets away on the right and this time chooses to square for Kuyt, the Dutchman elects to shoot first time but his effort is weak and Given gathers low to his right.
73min - Babel is next to have a go for the Reds as Gerrard tees him up on the right, the Dutch striker chooses to have a go first time and fizzes his shot wide of Given's far post.
69min - The Geordies have Given to thank as he denies Torres from close range - Gerrard the provider this time for the Spanish forward.
68min - And it's almost four as Torres sees a shot from inside the area evade the Magpies post after being slipped in by Kuyt.
66min - LIVERPOOL GOAL (0-3): The Magpies are torn apart as RYAN BABEL and Steven Gerrard exchange passes on the right-wing, the Reds skipper drives to the by-line before cutting back for the Dutch substitute who sweeps the ball beyond Shay Given from the penalty spot.
62min - Torres gets one-one-one with Rozehnal inside the area and dances by the Czech defender, Given rushes from his line to narrow the angle and does extremely well to save as the striker tries to lift the ball over the Toon stopper.
60min - There's a scramble inside the Newcastle box and Torres seizes the loose ball, the Spaniard works an angle and sends a snap shot towards Given's far corner, it looks like the Reds have a third but the striker's effort evades the woodwork by inches.
59min - James Milner comes on for Charles N'Zogbia for United.
58min - Ryan Babel replaces Harry Kewell for the Reds.
54min - Enrique loses the flight of the ball on the left allowing Kuyt to get clear, the striker drives towards the by-line and waits for reinforcements to arrive before picking out Kewell with a neat cutback, the Reds winger shoots first time right-footed but Beye throws his body in the way to block and Rozehnal clears.
52min - Joey Barton replaces Emre for the Magpies.
48min - The visitors go looking for a third and Harry Kewell is tugged back by Rozehnal with the Aussie poised to let fly from the edge of the box. It is Kewell who takes the free-kick but hammers his effort straight into the wall and Butt clears.
46min - LIVERPOOL GOAL (0-2): The Reds immediately try to get Torres away in-behind Habib Beye, the Senegal defender manages to recover and pokes behind for a corner on the left. Gerrard comes across to take and whips his delivery into the near post, Sami Hyypia flicks on before DIRK KUYT turns the ball in with his knee from inside a crowded six-yard box.
The Geordies get the second period underway with neither side having made any changes.
FIRST HALF ACTION
1-0 Liverpool half-time.
45min - The Magpies squnader possession on halfway and Kuyt sends strike partner Torres clear, Given races from his line to block the forward's shot with his chest and the ball spins free, United make a mess of clearing their lines and Torres gets a second bite at the cherry from 30 yards out - the goal is gaping but his shot strikes the post and the home side somehow survive. That was a real let-off!
43min - Kewell and Torres try to work something on the right but Rozehnal's out-stretched leg prevents the Aussie star getting on the end of the Spaniard's return pass and the ball runs away for a corner. Gerrard delivers first time and Smith heads away from inside the six-yard box.
40min - Rozehnal mis-judges Hyypia's long punt downfield and Torres manages to stop the ball running away for a goal-kick, Enrique is recovering to prevent the cross but concedes a corner in doing so. Liverpool again work it short with Gerrard eventually crossing from the right, it's a difficult one for Given to deal with but he is able to gather right underneath his crossbar with Kuyt lurking.
35min - Nicky Butt drives the home side forward and tries to go by Arbeloa on the right wing, the Spaniard manages to nick away from the United midfielder for a throw-in. Geremi takes long but Viduka's headed near post flick is sliced clear by Harry Kewell. The Magpies quickly recycle possession and Viduka heads down for Smith from Enrique's centre, the Toon midfielder sets himself for a volley and is unlucky to see his 20-yard effort skid just inches wide of Reina's far post.
28min - LIVERPOOL GOAL (0-1): Torres' touch is just too quick for Emre and the Turk takes out the forward 30 yards from goal and is lucky to escpae a booking. Lucas Leivia rolls the ball into the path of STEVEN GERRARD who smashes an unstoppable drive fizzing through the Tyneside air and into Shay Given's top corner to give the visitors the lead.
22min - The hosts are under pressure and Given does well to fist away Gerrard's stinging 25-yard strike.
18min - Kewell works an angle for a cross from the left and picks out the unmarked Torres with a lofted ball, the Spaniard is free eight yards from Given's goal but cannot get any direction on his header and the Magpies escape.
16min - N'Zogbia and Enrique exchange passes on the Milburn Stand touchline, the Spaniard gets away from the challenge of Sissoko but is felled by the sliding Leiva and United have a free-kick 40 yards from goal. Geremi takes but the in-swinging delivery is poor and Hyypia heads away.
12min - The visitors break at pace as Kewell clips a ball into Kuyt 20 yards out, the Dutch striker cuhsions his header left to Torres, Geordie hearts are in mouths as the Spaniard ghosts by the challenge of Rozehnal, luckily for the Magpies it's Beye again who reads the situation and recovers to stop the Reds forward in his tracks. Liverpool work the corner short and Gerrard tries to cross deep but the delivery has too much weight and drifts away for a goal-kick.
9min - Beye catches Torres 20 yards out and Liverpool have a free-kick in a dangerous position. Gerrard lines it up but referre Alan Wiley blows for a foul in the area with Sissoko man-handling N'Zogbia.
6min - Steven Gerrard tries to get away down the left but Habib Beye is tracking his every movement and slides to concede a corner. The Reds skipper takes but Shay Given rushes from his line to fist away from the head of Kewell for another Liverpool corner. This time Given comes to claim from the head of Hyypia.
5min - David Rozehnal requires treatment after a hefty fall but luckily for United he appears to be OK.
3min - It's been a fairly cagey start from both sides but Emre brings an end to that as he clatters into Steven Gerrard to win the ball midway inside United's half - much to the delight of the Toon Army.
It looks like United are starting with a 3-5-2 formation with Rozehnal, Beye and Enrique at the back and Geremi and N'Zogbia in the wing-back positions as Liverpool get the game underway attacking the Gallowgate End.
TEAM NEWS
SAM Allardyce makes six changes from the Magpies XI which drew at Sunderland two weeks ago.
Injuries to Abdoulaye Faye (hamstring) and Steven Taylor (back) have forced the Toon boss to reshuffle his back four, Habib Beye and Jose Enrique deputising for the sidelined pair.
United skipper Geremi also returns and is likely to start at right-back with Beye and David Rozehnal forming a partnership in the central of the defence.
Nicky Butt returns from suspension with Joey Barton dropping down to the bench, while there is no place either for derby goalscorer James Milner who also has to settle for a place among the subs.
Oba Martins replaces the injured Michael Owen (thigh) and will start in attack alongside Aussie star Mark Viduka.
The other change comes in goal with the fit again Shay Given replacing Steve Harper.
Stephen Carr returns to the bench having been out since August with a hamstring injury.
TEAMS
NUFC: Shay Given, Geremi, Jose Enrique, David Rozehnal, Habib Beye, Charles N'Zogbia, Alan Smith, Nicky Butt, Emre, Mark Viduka, Oba Martins
Subs: Stephen Carr, Joey Barton, James Milner, Steve Harper, David Edgar
LFC: Pepe Reina, Steve Finnan, Sami Hyypia, Harry Kewell, Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Alvaro Arbeloa, Dirk Kuyt, , Momo Sissoko, Lucas Leiva, Jamie Carragher
Subs: Charles Itandje, John Arne Riise, Peter Crouch, Ryan Babel, Javier Mascherano
Referee: Alan Wiley
Attendance: 52, 307
FACTS AND FIGURES
Liverpool @ SJP - Premiership Years
2006/07: 2-1 Martins, Solano (pen)
2005/06: 1-3 Ameobi
2004/05: 1-0 Robert
2003/04: 1-1 Shearer (pen)
2002/03: 1-0 Robert
2001/02: 0-2
2000/01: 2-1 Solano, Dyer
1999/00: 2-2 Shearer, Ferguson
1998/99: 1-4 Guivarc'h
1997/98: 0-2 (LC)
1997/98: 1-2 Watson
1996/97: 1-1 Shearer
1995/96: 2-1 Ferdinand, Watson
1994/95: 1-1 Lee
1993/94: 3-0 Cole 3
For Newcastle;
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 8th
Lowest could fall: 11th
1. Picked up one point from a last possible nine.
2. Won five of 12 Premier League games under Sam Allardyce.
3. Not kept a clean sheet in eight league games, since the 1-0 home win over Wigan on 1 September.
4. Chasing a third home win this season against north-west clubs, having already beaten Wigan and Everton.
5. Portsmouth became the first club in this campaign to leave St James' Park with maximum points, when they won 1-4 in the most recent fixture to be staged on Tyneside on 3 November.
6. Must visit Blackburn next Saturday, before entertaining Arsenal on the following Wednesday.
For Liverpool;
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 3rd
Lowest could fall: 7th
1. Unbeaten in 13 Premier League matches; won six and drawn seven since losing 1-0, away to Fulham on 5 May.
2. The joint draw specialists of the Premier League, with Fulham. Both have finished level on six occasions.
3. Conceded fewer Premier League goals than any other club, with the exception of Manchester United, having let in six from 12 outings at two per match on average, and only two of those in the first half. The Red Devils have a superior average, having let in six from 13 matches.
4. Averaging two points per game (24 in 12). It's their best start since 30 points were accrued to this stage in 2002-03 when they finished fifth. However a higher finish has been attained in three of the four subsequent seasons, after inferior starts.
5. Conceded the opening goal in only one Premier League match this season - fewer than any other club; the 1-2 victory at Everton on 20 October.
6. Lost the lead four times in Premier League matches this season, and dropped six points from leading positions, drawing home to Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal.
7. Their 12 league games have produced 25 goals (19 for, six against). At 2.08, it's the lowest goals per game average in the Premier League.
8. Involved in three goalless draws in the Premier League; that's more than any other club with the exception of Portsmouth, who've also completed three.
9. Boasting the strongest away form in this league with 14 of their 24 points gained on the road, including victories at Aston Villa, Sunderland, Wigan and Everton.
TICKET NEWS
This fixture is sold out.
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