THERE WAS MONDAY night football at Anfield.
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THERE IS JUST the one game of Week 32 left in the Premier League as Newcastle travel to Merseyside this evening.
Liverpool may have booked their place in the FA Cup semi-finals with a 1-0 win over Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday but both teams come into this on the back of defeats in their last league outings.
The Reds took a 4-1 beating from Arsenal last weekend, while the Magpies lost out to Sunderland in the Tyne-Wear derby.
The teams are in and the big news is that Daniel Sturridge misses out through injury.
Liverpool: Mignolet, Johnson, Can, Lovren, Moreno, Allen, Lucas, Henderson, Ibe, Coutinho, Sterling.
Newcastle: Krul, R Taylor, Janmaat, Williamson, Colback, Anita, Abeid, Sissoko, Cabella, Obertan, Perez.
Sturridge picked up a knock in the FA Cup quarter-final replay with Blackburn so will play no part here. Raheem Stertling will be supported in attack by Philippe Coutinho, Jordan Ibe and captain Jordan Henderson.
These two clubs took part in one of the best Premier League matches ever 19 years ago this month when Stan Collymore grabbed an injury time winner for Liverpool in a 4-3 victory.
Any chance we can get something similar tonight?
The visitors, currently 13th in the table, have been beaten in their past four matches and John Carver’s men have only managed four goals in their last eight. Do they have any hope of avoiding defeat?
Who will win tonight?
Poll Results:
The teams are out and, after a stirring rendition of You’ll Never Walk Along, there’s a minute silence for the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.
Newcastle tip off and we’re underway here.
Gabriel Obertan sets off on a roaming run and plays in fellow Frenchman Remy Cabella. His strike is blocked and Newcastle have themselves a corner. That is cleared out for a throw-in and Dejan Lovren then launches the ball up-field.
You’ve got to feel a bit for this punter…
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GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Newcastle (Raheem Sterling)
The home team are ahead. Coutinho breaks forward, lays off to Henderson and he crosses to Sterling, who cuts inside and curls past Tim Krul. Great finish.
Liverpool full of confidence at the moment and Lovren finds Moreno with a pass. The Spaniard has a pop but Krul makes a good block.
Mario sounds pleased.
Liverpool win a free-kick some 30 yards out from goal and Henderson curls in the set piece… but it’s right into the arms of Dutch stopper Krul.
Possession in the first 20 minutes:
- Liverpool – 60%
- Newcastle – 40%
It could easily be 2-0 at this stage. Coutinho goes by Colback and Williamson with ease and squares an inviting ball across the goalmouth.
Minutes later, Coutinho feeds Sterling but his cross-cum-shot is straight at Krul.
Williamson fouls Ibe and Liverpool could be dangerous from this type of range. Instead of shooting from 25 yards, however, Henderson plays short to Coutinho and his strike is blocked. Krul then saves from Sterling.
It’s all Liverpool here.
Chance for Newcastle. Obertan makes good progress out wide and crosses to where Mehdi Abeid lets fly but Mignolet isn’t troubled.
Super save from Krul! Henderson puts a delightful ball in from the free and Lucas makes decent contact but finds Magpies No.1 at his best.
Stonewall penalty claim for Newcastle. Lovren takes a swipe and brings Perez down but referee Lee Mason incredibly waves play on!
Hope for Newcastle. Mignolet saves from Perez’s header then Abeid curls the ball over the ball.
Half-time: Liverpool 1-0 Newcastle
No chances on either side and we’re off again with the second half.
Emre is down and receiving treatment on his ankle after going over on it while competing with Lovren and Obertan for a header in the Liverpool box.
Mignolet called upon to punch clear as Perez attempts to make contact. Newcastle take the corner and when the ball comes back in, Lovren is lucky not to be punished after heading straight to an opponent.
Next, the the visitors work the ball well and Sissokho gets his shot off, which Mignolet collects. Carver will be happy with how the second half has gone so far.
Oh dear, Sterling should have had his second there. Henderson’s ball across is completely mishit by Taylor, leaving Sterling with what should be a routine finish. But he puts it wide.
Jordan Ibe, only back from injury, makes way for Fabio Borini as Brendan Rodgers makes his first substitute.
Coutinho’s shot stings the hands of Krul then Perez is yards away from latching onto a through ball at the other end.
Substitute for Newcastle: Obertan comes off with Jonas Gutierrez taking his place.
It’s great to see the former Argentine international back in the game after missing most of the season through testicular cancer. He is making his 200th appearance for the club tonight.
He gets a great reception from the Anfield faithful. Nice touch.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle (Joe Allen)
They’ve doubled their advantage. The corner isn’t cleared properly and when the ball falls kindly for Allen, he smashes home for a rare goal.
https://vine.co/v/eupIKXaeEir
There’s a bit of handbags between Johnson and Sissoko over a throw-in and both players earned themselves a yellow card.
A succession of corners for Liverpool ends with Lovren shooting over.
Sissoko sent off and Newcastle down to ten! A horrible challenge from the Frenchman on Lucas earns him a booking. But it could easily have been a straight red.
Moments laters, Sterling volleys over.
It should really have been a dismissal.
Ricky Lambert on for the final two minutes plus time added on. Sterling makes way for his team-mate.
Ryan Taylor sends a free-kick over and we’re seconds away from the full-time whistle.
Full-time: Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle
Three points and clean sheet for Liverpool, who move above Southampton into fifth place. Newcastle were vastly improved after half-time and should have had a penalty but the Reds were deserved winners.
