Newscastle United...1 Liverpool...0: Gerard Houllier probably thought it not possible but things go from bad to worse for Liverpool. A new year brought a familiar feeling here last night - defeat - meaning Liverpool's tally of points from their last 10 Premiership games is a paltry four. They have now not won in the league since November 2nd and their title chance now verges on extinction. Michael Walker reports from St James' Park.
The man who was nicknamed The Volcano in France, Laurent Robert, inflicted more damage last night, his left foot free-kick skidding past Chris Kirkland. The result left Houllier's team four points and three places behind Newcastle United, for whom this was a ninth successive home win, and even a Champions League berth must now be in some jeopardy for Liverpool.
What Liverpool did not need in the circumstances was a patchy performance capped by a senseless sending off. That is what they got, however, Salif Diao being shown a second yellow card by David Elleray with 25 minutes remaining. It adds to the reconstruction work Houllier must do to salvage the season.
Both teams were hit by injuries. Liverpool arrived without Michael Owen, Emile Heskey and Dietmar Hamann and up front that meant a combination of Milan Baros and El Hadji Diouf. As Owen had scored no less than 13 times in his last nine games against Newcastle, the Geordies' relief was not small.
It helped them cope with their own absentees. No Kieron Dyer, Gary Speed or Nolberto Solano meant a first start for the 21-year-old Scot Brian Kerr at right midfield and a return for the Chilean Clarence Acuna.
The pitch survived a six o'clock inspection after heavy rain, although it cannot be held accountable for the lateness of Steven Gerrard's third-minute tackle on Olivier Bernard, for which Gerrard was booked. Given the Gary Naysmith incident, Gerrard's timing was poor in more than one way.
As Liverpool careered into the early challenges, Diao was also booked by Elleray and John Arne Riise must have feared he would be too when he pulled Alan Shearer down on the edge of the Liverpool area in the 13th minute. Riise escaped, but Liverpool were still punished.
Robert had started the move by the simple device of putting his foot on the ball while the rest charged around him. From Robert the ball went to Jermaine Jenas, Craig Bellamy and then Shearer. Riise's foul meant a free-kick and Robert whipped it in. Unluckily for Chris Kirkland in the Liverpool goal, the ball struck Baros as the wall fractured and the deflection wrong-footed Kirkland. He got a touch on it as it went in.
The encouragement Newcastle took from that sustained them for the rest of the half. Liverpool ended the half on a little high, though, Andy Griffin being forced to concede a corner as Bruno Cheyrou prepared to convert Gerrard's cross.
Sadly for Liverpool, not only did Griffin get there before Cheyrou, the origin of this rare attack had been a mistake by Andy O'Brien and not some red inspiration. Once again any Liverpudlian creativity there was came from Gerrard and the task was an onerous one for him. Not for the first time it looked as though every Gerrard pass had to be a killer one.
Gerrard is a fine footballer but the predictability of this tactic is all part of what currently makes Liverpool one-dimensional.
Houllier would have taken a fortunate ricochet at this stage, of course, and when Baros was ruled onside from a Diao header it seemed Liverpool's turning point had come. But Baros's turning point was a slow one and Shay Given grasped the ball. Oh for Owen, the visitors' dug-out must have thought.
Baros was soon off, replaced by the 20-year-old Neil Mellor, and so was Diao. He sped into a ludicrously-reckless challenge with Griffin and gave referee Elleray no choice.
Less than 10 minutes later, Diouf nearly followed. Already booked, Diouf slid angrily at Jenas. As Diouf had appeared to spit at Griffin earlier he was walking a tightrope. He is not on his own at Anfield in that, though.
Guardian Service
NEWCASTLE: Given, Griffin, Bernard, O'Brien, Hughes, Robert, Jenas, Acuna(Elliott 73), Kerr (Ameobi 73), Shearer, Bellamy. Subs Not Used: Harper, LuaLua, Dabizas. Booked: Jenas. Goals: Robert 13.
LIVERPOOL: Kirkland, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Riise, Biscan, Gerrard, Diao, Cheyrou (Smicer 58), Baros (Mellor 55), Diouf (Vignal 79). Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Traore. Sent Off: Diao (66). Booked: Gerrard, Diao, Diouf.
Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).
