Newcastle 0 Liverpool 3
Nov 24 2007 By Lee Ryder at St James's Park
SAM ALLARDYCE was the target of angry Newcastle United fans today after Liverpool pulled off an easy win on Tyneside.
The fact that Pepe Reina wasn’t even tested in the Liverpool goal summed up a miserable day at the office for Big Sam as the Merseysiders could have left a rain swept St James’s Park with an even bigger scoreline.
The Geordie crowd then turned on Allardyce when they chanted “You don’t know what you’re doing” and “Big Sam for England.”
And Liverpool fans were also happy to join in when they chanted “You’re getting sacked in the morning” and “You should have stayed at the Reebok.”
Newcastle started the clash against Liverpool with a 3-5-2 system which resulted in a recall for skipper Geremi.
The Cameroon star was deployed as a wing back as Jose Enrique, David Rozehnal and Habib Beye lined up the heart of the defence while Charles N’Zogbia was fielded on the other flank.
Shay Given was also back between the posts with Steve Harper making way for the Republic of Ireland star.
Meanwhile Big Sam dropped Joey Barton and derby day hero James Milner as Nicky Butt, Alan Smith and Emre made up the midfield engine room.
In attack Oba Martins, as anticipated, started the game up front with Mark Viduka.
The first real sight of goal came the way of Liverpool when a free-kick on the edge of the box was driven in by Steven Gerrard, however, the England midfielder – who was roundly booed by the home crowd after the Croatia debacle – could only find Given’s mid-drift.
However, the glimpse of goal proved to be a rarity in the opening stages as both team cancelled each other out early on.
But on 22 minute Gerrard forced Given into a good save when the Irishman had to fist away his effort from 25 yards and just 30 seconds later after United had cleared his team-mate Jamie Carragher sent an effort fizzing the wrong side of the post.
And Liverpool were presented another opportunity when Emre upended Fernando Torres on 27 minutes.
This time Gerrard made no mistake as he lashed it past Given after Lucas Leiva rolled the ball to him from 25 yards as the Reds captain hit back at his critics.
Eight minutes before the break United gave their fans a flicker of hope when Viduka fed Smith in the right channel before the Yorkshireman juggled the ball on the edge of the area and sent in a wicked snap shot which just bounced wide of the goal frame.
Yet Liverpool should have gone in 2-0 up at the break when Torres was released by Dirk Kuyt and was gifted a chance following a defensive mix up.
Given came hurtling out of his goal to block his initial attempt but it then fell for the Spaniard who sent an effort against the bottom of the post in a wonderful chance for the visitors.
But Liverpool took less than a minute to double their lead at the start of the second half when Gerrard’s corner was backheeled by Sami Hyypia into the path of Kuyt who applied the finish from close range.
Shell-shocked Newcastle struggled to get back into the game and the biggest cheer of the afternoon came when James Milner warmed up in front of the Gallowgate End.
On 55 minutes Viduka won the ball in the air on the edge of the box but Smith’s effort was high and wide.
Milner finally emerged just before the hour and when he replaced N’Zogbia the Frenchman was booed off the field.
The margin almost got bigger on 62 minutes when Torres wriggled his way through and his shot struck the knees of Given.
It was 3-0 on 66 minutes when Gerrard pulled the ball back for sub Babel to lash home.
Liverpool could have ended up with a cricket score as Kuyt and Torres wasted further chances before the end.
UNITED: Given, Geremi, Enrique (Carr 78), Rozehnal, Beye, N’Zogbia (Milner 59), Smith, Butt, Emre (Barton 51), Viduka, Martins.
Subs: Harper, Edgar.
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Kewell (Babel 58), Gerrard (Crouch 81), Torres, Arbeloa, Kuyt (Riise 76), Leiva, Sissoko, Carragher.
Subs: Mascherano, Itandje.
Crowd: 52, 307
