Liverpool 2 Newcastle United 0

Two days shy of the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster both sets of supporters were impeccable in their respect during the minutes silence in memory of the 96 Liverpool supporters who lost their lives on that fateful April day 26 years ago.

Again without the services of Skrtel and Gerrard, both serving out the final games of their 3 match suspension, Liverpool welcomed back Emre Can from suspension, but without the sick Balotelli and the injured Sakho and Sturridge approached the game knowing that a win would see us close the gap to just four points to Man City.

Newcastle searching for form added to the subdued opening from both teams defending from deep with Liverpool searching for rhythm starting with the pairing of Can and Lovren in the centre of a back four and with defensive and holding midfielders in the shape of Lucas and Allen respectively with the last name given more of an offensive licence to get forward.

Liverpool suddenly burst into life in stunning fashion with a goal which was all about the vision and class.  Henderson with a superb diagonal pass found an unmarked Sterling to instantly control the ball and cut inside two defenders before manufacturing a curled shot with the ball almost under him inside the far post to put us ahead.

The goal stung Liverpool into life and Lovren’s floated ball over the top found Moreno storming through only to see his powerful shot blocked by Tim Krul.  Coutinho thriving in the time and space afforded him by lax Newcastle defending flicked the ball over the head of Williamson on the edge of the area before passing the ball across the area to an unsuspected Sterling caught on his heels.

Liverpool were totally dominant and Coutinho this time found Sterling with an exquisite angled ball which Sterling met with a left-footed drive straight into the midriff of Kuhl.  Newcastle through Abeid fired in their first shot on target from his shot outside the area.

As well as we played, slicing through the Newcastle midfield at will with Newcastle giving the ball away at every turn and the defence looking susceptible to balls on the angle or over the top, the fact was that possession hadn’t been turned into goals and Newcastle began to come back into the game in the final 8 minutes of the half.

A wild kick by Lovren should have penalised with a penalty and we could thank the Mignolet for brilliantly saving at full stretch from Azoye Perez’s header.

On the stroke of half-time Abeid stole in to fire a shot over the bar with the equaliser there for the taking.

Newcastle came out for the second-half as if pumped up by their positive end to the first-half and the nervousness of the Anfield faithful transmitted itself through to the players with the Liverpool midfield, in particular Allen struggling to contain the new found impetus with the away team looking as if they had come to squeeze the life out of our Champions League ambitions.

Counter-attacking with Jordan Henderson storming down the right side before his cross fortunately squirmed past Ryan Taylor and into the path of Sterling at the far post to unbelievably shoot wide of the post from barely six yards.

With Borini having replaced Jordan Ibe Liverpool reasserted their dominance and finally settled the nerves around the stadium with Newcastle struggling to clear their lines the ball found its way inadvertently to Allen off Williamson for the Welsh International to hook home from close range.

Any remaining chance Newcastle had disappeared when Sissoko their best player was sent off for an ill-judged dangerous tackle on Lucas for which he was lucky to see only a second yellow for.

Sterling missed another gilt-edged chance from Henderson’s excellent cross, screwing his shot wide of the post with the goal gaping.  It was to be his last action of the game before being replaced by Rickie Lambert.

Man of the Match:  Philippe Coutinho was the chief instigator and is a different player from the one who used to fade after an hour appearing to be full of running at the end of games.

Jordan Henderson ran him close and if Sterling had had his shooting boots on would have had three assists at the very least.

Critical eye:  Lovren is still struggling at the back and was lucky not to give away a nailed on penalty with a wild swipe which seemed to throw him off his game going into the second-half.  Martin Skrtel’s experience at the back will certainly be a welcomed presence as we approach the FA Cup Semi-Final and the final run in of games.

Great to see Joe Allen score the winner, but too many times in the game he gave away or was caught on the ball.

Defensively, Glen Johnson was as he has always been, suspect in critical areas.  Easily brushed aside on a header which almost saw Newcastle equalise and too easily by-passed down the right.

All-in-all at this point of the season one can’t argue and victory is a victory taking us back above Southampton and four points behind Man City.

Teams:

Liverpool:

Formation 4-3-3

22 Mignolet, 2 Glen Johnson, 18 Alberto Moreno, 21 Lucas, 23 Emre Chan, 6 Dejan Lovren, 14 Jordan Henderson, 10 Philippe Coutinho, 33 Jordan Ibe (Fabio Borini – 58 mins), 31 Raheem Sterling (Rickie Lambert – 88 mins)

Substitutes: 1 Brad Jones, 4 Kolo Toure, 9 Rickie Lambert, 19 Javi Manquillo, 29 Fabio Borini, 32 Cameron Brannagan, 50 Lazar Markovic

Newcastle United:

Formation 4-4-2

1 Tim Krul, 4 Ryan Taylor, 14 Jack Colback, 8 Vumon Anita, 22 Daryl Jammaat, 6 Mike Williamson, 20 Remy Calbella, 30 Mehdi Abeid (Adam Armstrong 74 mins), 17 Ayoze Perez (Yoan Gouffran – 86 mins), 7 Mousa Sissoko (sent-off 83 mins), 25 Gabriel Orbertan (Jonas Gutierrez – 66 mins)

Substitutes: 11 Yoan Gouffran, 18 Jonas Gutierrez, 21 Rob Elliot, 28 Sammy Ameobi, 29 Emmanuel Riviere, 32 Adam Armstrong, 46 Jamie Sterry

Referee: Lee Mason

Attendance: 44,611