Liverpool (2) Newcastle United (0): Reds Get Back on Track Ahead of Wembley Trip
By the time Moussa Sissoko was given his marching orders for a shocking tackle on Lucas late in the second half, Newcastle United were in a familiar predicament at Anfield — losing and down to ten men.
Raheem Sterling got the party started in the first half when his mazy run was capped off with a precise to put Liverpool in front within the first ten minutes, but what could have very well been a first half rout ended with the visitors in the drivers seat and Dejan Lovren lucky to have not given away a clear penalty. John Carver’s side started the second half the same way they ended the first, but Joe Allen was on hand to bag a rare goal with a poachers finish after some horrible defending from the Magpies gifted the Welshman the ball.
With this Wednesday marking the 26th anniversary of the Hillsborough Stadium Disaster, both sets of supporters showed an impeccable amount of respect pre-match during the minute of silence, but once referee Lee Mason blew his whistle for kick-off, the hosts made no secret of the match being very much on. Defeat in their last two Premier League outings at the hands of Manchester United and Arsenal have all but put their aspirations of securing a top four finish to bed, but they sure weren’t playing like it.
Dominating possesion, looking slick on the ball and hungry without it, there was little surprise when they opened the scoring. Sterling, playing as a striker in the absence of Daniel Sturridge, did well to control a audacious cross-field pass from Jordan Henderson before doing what he does best, beating two defenders before looping a shot up and over Newcastler ‘keeper Tim Krul.
With the lead firmly established and the visitors on the ropes, the Reds were unlucky not to add a few more before the break with Alberto Moreno, Philippe Coutinho, Lucas and Jordon Ibe — back in the starting eleven for the first time since picking up a knee injury against Besiktas in February — all either spurning good chances or seeing the Magpies shot-stopper bat away their efforts. Despite controlling proceedings for much of the half, the Anfield outfit were lucky not to get punished before the break when they decided to take their foot off the gas.
Mason somehow missed a clear penalty when Lovren, back in the side with Martin Skrtel still suspended and Mamadou Sakho ruled out for a month with a thigh injury, completely missed the ball when attempting to clear and instead clattered Magpies forward Ayoze Perez. The Spaniard almost got his revenge moments later when he looped in a header to force Simon Mignolet into a diving save before Mehdi Abeid somehow shot over when well placed in stoppage time.
Sterling would do the same on more than one occasion during the second half, but after weathering a carry-over storm from the end of the first, Liverpool put the match out of Newcastle’s hands through an unlikely source. Allen, who hasn’t scored since the infamous draw with Crystal Palace at the tail-end of last season, saw his initial header bounce forgivingly off of defender Mike Williamson as the hosts applied the pressure and the Welshman made no mistake when he failed to clear by smacking a searing volley past a frozen Krul.
It wouldn’t be a trip to Merseyside without for Newcastle without a sending off and Sissoko looked only too happy to oblige; after some handbags over a throw-in with Glen Johnson saw both players booked, his late tackle on Lucas was enough to seal the deal with the Frenchmen not even waiting around for Mason to show him his second card — he just headed straight for the tunnel and confirmed that Liverpool would jump back into fifth place along the way.
The three-points keeps us in the conversation for a top four spot, but with a trip to Wembley at the weekend looming that much larger, going into the weekend with a good result was always going to be the primary objective. It wasn’t a domineering as it could have been, it wasn’t always convincing and it won’t inspire the greatest deal of confidence, but a win is a win is a win and after losing two big ones, there’s nothing better to get your head straight before a big day out.
–Steven