LIVERPOOL 3
NEWCASTLE UNITED 0
Barclays Premier League
Anfield
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Kick-off 1.30pm

Craig Hope reports from Anfield ...

MATCH SUMMARY

NEWCASTLE United remain in the Premier League drop zone after a 3-0 defeat at Liverpool in which Joey Barton was shown a straight red card.

The Magpie midfielder, making his first appearance since January, was given his marching orders with 13 minutes remaining following a high lunge on Xabi Alonso.

Before that the Reds had taken a 22nd-minute lead through Yossi Benayoun before Dirk Kuyt headed a second six minutes later.

And the scoring was complete in the dying seconds as Brazilian Lucas flashed home a header from Fabio Aurelio's free-kick.

SECOND-HALF UPDATES (click refresh for latest)

90+2min - Steven Gerrard strikes the woodwork with a rising drive from range before Phil Dowd blows to signal the end of another disappointing afternoon for United.

There will be three minutes added time.

89min - Mascherano is replaced by David Ngog.

87min - LIVERPOOL GOAL (3-0): Aurelio delivers an in-swinging free-kick from the right and it's LUCAS who has stolen in unmarked to nod past a helpless Harper.

84min - Coloccini is booked as he snaps at the ankle of Gerrard on halfway.

83min - Benayoun's corner is met by Agger but his header lacks direction and United clear.

81min - Double change for United as Michael Owen and Kevin Nolan replace Mark Viduka and Oba Martins.

80min - The Spaniard is unable to continue and is replaced by Lucas.

77min - NEWCASTLE RED CARD: JOEY BARTON is shown a straight red card by Phil Dowd for a high lunge on Xabi Alonso.

74min - Gerrard should do better when afforded the freedom of the penalty area but places his shot wide of target from 12 yards.

73min - Alonso cracks the United crossbar for the second time this afternoon with a measured shot from 20 yards, this time the ball bounces out to Bassong who boots clear.

70min - Harper beats clear Gerrard's stinging drive from the edge of the area, the ball is returned into the mix by Babel but United have enough bodies back to clear.

69min - United squander possession on halfway but Liverpool fail to capitalise as Kuyt draws his shot well wide of goal from 25 yards.

66min - Kuyt turns Benayoun's near-post centre on goal with a well-guided header but Harper is well-positioned and saves with ease.

65min - Nicky Butt goes over on his ankle and requires treatment but it looks as though he'll be OK.

63min - Ryan Babel replaces Albert Riera.

62min - Alan Smith is the first man in the book for a reckless lunge on Arbeloa on the right-hand touchline.

61min - Riera works a yard for a shot when faced with Habib Beye inside the area but his left-footed strike slices well wide of goal.

59min - Liverpool break down the right through Benayoun, he works a pass inside to the supporting Gerrard, the skipper gets the ball out of his feet before sweeping a 25-yard shot narrowly wide of Harper's target.

55min - Jonas blocks Gerrard's cross on the right and Liverpool have a corner. The skipper centres but it's Mark Viduka who climbs to head away for another flag kick. United fail to clear from Gerrard's looping delivery and Agger hooks a 10-yard effort on to the roof of Steve Harper's net.

54min - Smith picks out Barton with a raking cross-field pass, the Liverpudlian opts to cross first time but slips at the point of contact and the ball trickles away for a goal kick.

50min - Bassong's attempted clearance drops at the feet of Gerrard on the left, he controls before whistling a low drive across goal and inches wide of the far upright.

49min - It's been a subdued opening to the second period with Liverpool teasing passes around the middle of the park.

Jonas Gutierrez has replaced Peter Lovenkrands during the break as Liverpool get us started for the second half.

FIRST-HALF ACTION

And there blows the whistle to signal the end of the opening period.

There will be one minute added time.

43min - Daniel Agger is next to have a go and his swerving drive from 25 yards is kept out by the strong wrists of Steve Harper.

42min - Kuyt slips in Gerrard, the skipper works a yard for a shot but his strike is blocked superbly by Damien Duff. Still the danger is not clear and, from Kuyt's cross, Riera slams a volley into the turf with the ball skipping away for a goal kick.

40min - Alonso takes aim from 20 yards and rattles the Magpie crossbar, the ball cannons back into play and Steve Harper is lucky it does not bounce off his shin and into the empty net, instead the Toon stopper manages to grasp inside his six-yard area with red shirts closing in.

36min - Riera is causing United all manner of problems down the left and the Spaniard flashes another delivery across goal which Kuyt is inches away from turning in with a flying header.

32min - Liverpool have a corner as Riera's left-wing cross brushes of Nicky Butt and spins behind. Gerrard launches a high ball to the far post, Harper comes but fails to connect, Agger turns back into the mix but it's a United shirt which swipes to safety.

28min - LIVERPOOL GOAL (2-0): Riera ghosts by Coloccini on the left but Beye is recovering to block the Spaniard's cross at the expense of a corner. Gerrard centres and it's DIRK KUYT who has escaped the attentions of Beye to flash a header past a helpless Harper from six yards.

22min - LIVERPOOL GOAL (1-0): United fail to clear their lines as Kuyt steals from Smith inside the area, the Reds forward smashes a low ball across goal where YOSSI BENAYOUN, unmarked in the six-yard area, sticks out a leg to stab home. Steve Harper races to referee Phil Dowd claiming offside and TV replays show the Toon stopper is correct - the goal should not have stood.

19min - At the other end Barton slips in Lovenkrands, the Dane skips around Reina but is forced wide, he manages to turn the ball on goal but Agger is recovering to block before Reina, having scrambled to his feet, completes the clearance.

18min - Kuyt is guilty of a glaring miss as he heads wide from the angle of the six-yard area after Aurelio had picked out the unmarked Dutchman at the far post.

16min - Gerrard is afforded too much time and space midway inside United's half, he canters forward and unleashes a dipping strike which Harper, at full stretch, must dive to palm around the upright. Gerrard takes the flag kick, Harper makes the decision to come and fist and it proves to be the right decision as he pumps clear.

14min - Coloccini trips Gerrard 25 yards out and Liverpool have a free-kick. It is the Reds skipper who curls around the wall but Harper is equal to the effort and dives to save.

12min - Bassong's backpass looks like coming up short with Kuyt giving chase, but luckily for United Harper has read the danger and races from his line to dribble around the Dutchman and clear.

11min - This has been a very bright start by United and they have enjoyed the lion's share of possession.

6min - Carragher clatters Viduka midway inside the Liverpool half but from the resulting free-kick, clipped into the area by Duff, Agger climbs to power clear with his head.

3min - Martins is first to have a strike at goal as his 20-yard snap shot clips off Carragher and spirals away for a corner. Barton takes but the cross fails to beat the first man. However, Liverpool only half clear and when Smith gathers possession 20 yards from goal his volley smashes into the face of Agger before Aurelio belts downfield.

2min - Gerrard skips down Coloccini and Beye before crashing to the turf as he hurdles the challenge of Butt inside the area, penalty appeals are waved away as Damien Duff hacks clear.

The sun is beating down here on Merseyside as Joey Barton and Nicky Butt get us underway with United attacking the Kop End.

TEAM NEWS

ALAN Shearer makes two changes to the side which drew with Portsmouth on Monday as Peter Lovenkrands and Joey Barton come in for Michael Owen and the injured Jose Enrique.

Barton is making his first appearance under the new United manager having recovered from a broken metatarsal which has kept him out since January.

Damien Duff will slot in at left back as replacement for hamstring victim Enrique.

TEAMS

LFC: Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger, Steven Gerrard (c), Albert Riera, Fabio Aurelio, Xabi Alonso, Yossi Benayoun, Alvaro Arbeloa, Dirk Kuyt, Javier Mascherano, Jamie Carragher
Subs: Diego Cavalieri, Andrea Dossena, Ryan Babel, Lucas, David Ngog, Nabil El Zhar, Martin Skrtel

NUFC: Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Damien Duff, Sebastien Bassong, Fabricio Coloccini, Nicky Butt (c), Alan Smith, Joey Barton, Peter Lovenkrands, Oba Martins, Mark Viduka
Subs: Tim Krul, Kevin Nolan, Michael Owen, Danny Guthrie, Andy Carroll, David Edgar, Jonas Gutierrez