Newcastle 2 Liverpool 0: Liverpool's season descended further into farce this afternoon when Papiss Cisse's brace left them 11 points behind Newcastle after a sixth defeat in seven. Liverpool have now lost as many as they have won and are looking up at Everton in the league, with Sunderland just a point behind them in ninth.

Only Wolves have a worse record than the Reds in this calendar year, and the sending off of goalkeeper Pepe Reina means they are likely to be without the Spaniard when they look to arrest that slide in the coming weeks, while he's also likely to miss the FA Cup semi-final against Everton at Wembley.

Though he did not appear to connect with James Perch, Reina was dismissed for aggressively leading with his head when confronting the defender who tripped him as he looked to set up a counter-attack. It was regrettable loss of control for the experienced Spain international that led to further embarrassment when Jose Enrique was called on to fill in between the posts after all three Liverpool changes had been made.

Enrique's former Toon team-mate Andy Carroll also found himself the target of ridicule when, after a bright start, he spurned a scoring opportunity when he went to ground needlessly after rounding the challenge of goalkeeper Tim Krul. He was booked for the dive and spent much of the rest of the game in the shadow Cisse, of his replacement at St James's Park, who scored in each half before being called ashore to a hero's reception.

Cisse gave Newcastle the lead when he met Ben Arfa's far post cross and headed it cleverly back across goal and into the net off the post.

His second was controversial, with the Senegalese seemingly offside position when the ball was played into the area by Demba Ba.

Reina's late sending off was a sign of frustration, according to manager Kenny Dalglish, who was convinced his side should have had a penalty when Danny Simpson appeared to handle on the goal line.

“We had chances and we were unfortunate not to get a penalty, and that would have left us playing against 10 men,” he told Sky Sports News. “Then they got the goal, which from our point of view was disappointing, and the boys showed frustration and maybe started feeling sorry for themselves.

“Pepe got frustrated and got himself a red card and Andy marched up the tunnel (after being substituted), he was frustrated and disappointed for himself and at the result. There’s no problem with the red card for Pepe but there is a problem that we never had a penalty kick.”

On Carroll’s booking, he added: “I don’t think it was a penalty but neither did I think Andy was trying to get a penalty. The decision not to give a penalty was correct but it was harsh to show him a yellow card, he was always struggling to keep his balance.”

Opposite number Alan Pardew had a contrasting view on the Simpson incident and also defended the decision to award his side’s second goal, when Cisse was clearly offside when Demba Ba passed the ball but a possible touch off Hatem Ben Arfa or his marker meant the flag stayed down.

“That little touch, by that time the Liverpool player is level and he’s onside,” Pardew claimed. “It’s a rule none of us managers like but that’s how it is.”

On the penalty appeal, he added: “It hit (Simpson) high on the shoulder, I’d be very surprised if the referee gives that — it’s not a hand sticking out, I thought it was fine."