´Back From The Dead´ Pardew Rises From The Ashes

Last updated : 02 November 2014 By Footy Mad - Editor

NEWCASTLE 1 LIVERPOOL 0

NEWCASTLE

1. Tim Krul
22. Daryl Janmaat
27. Steven Taylor
2. Fabricio Coloccini
36. Paul Dummett
30. Mehdi Abeid
14. Jack Colback
25. Gabriel Obertan 27'
7. Moussa Sissoko
28. Sammy Ameobi 66'
9. Papiss Cisse 45'
Subs
4. Ryan Taylor
11. Yoan Gouffran
16. Rolando Aarons 27'
17. Ayoze Perez 45'
19. Massadio Haidara
20. Remy Cabella 66'
21. Rob Elliot

LIVERPOOL

22. Simon Mignolet
2. Glen Johnson
37. Martin Skrtel
6. Dejan Lovren
31. Raheem Sterling
8. Steven Gerrard
14. Jordan Henderson
24. Joe Allen 66'
18. Alberto Moreno
10. Philippe Coutinho 80'
45. Mario Balotelli
Subs
1. Brad Jones
4. Kolo Toure
9. Rickie Lambert 80'
19. Javi Manquillo
20. Adam Lallana
23. Emre Can
29. Fabio Borini 66'

Unlike at Manchester City in midweek, the team Pardew put out seemed balanced and strong enough to give the Scousers a game, and in many ways it had Liverpool counterpart Brendan Rodgers a little confused.

We came away with an amazing result from Manchester because of strength and unity, and it happened again on Saturday.

Pardew boasted on Friday: "I know what side Brendan will put out but he doesn´t have a clue about mine.

Whatever Rodgers planned ... didn´t work.

Ayoze Perez was Newcastle's match-winner for the second time in a week as Newcastle edged past Liverpool to claim a fourth successive victory.

The former Tenerife frontman, who scored the decisive goal at Tottenham last Sunday, stabbed home from close range with 13 minutes remaining to seal a 1-0 victory, the Magpies' third on the trot in the league, a feat they had not achieved since November last year.

It was no more than they deserved after another committed display in front of a largely delighted crowd of 52,166, and they might have won more comfortably had goalkeeper Simon Mignolet not pulled off a fine one-on-one save from substitute Remy Cabella four minutes later.

The Reds won 6-0 at St James' Park in April 2013, on the blackest day I can remember at that stadium, but this a different Liverpool.

They lacked ideas, and most of all the fight to break down Newcastle´s back-line.

Lone striker Mario Balotelli and wide-man Raheem Sterling were too often isolated to leave Magpies keeper Tim Krul untroubled, and their reputations were left in tatters.

The biggest cheer of the day was when Daryl Janmaat clattered the Italian, and I don´t think we saw the former City man again all match!

Papiss Cisse saw a fourth-minute shot deflected wide by defender Martin Skrtel and Moussa Sissoko had appeals for a penalty waved away five minutes later after he had gone to ground under Joe Allen's challenge.

Even the loss of in-form winger Gabriel Obertan with what looked like a torn thigh muscle failed to halt Newcastle's momentum, with teenager Rolando Aarons taking up his mantle.

Nevertheless,. clear-cut chances were few and far between until the final few minutes of the half when Mignolet needed the help of defender Glen Johnson to head Cisse's 37th-minute shot off the line.

However, Krul was just as relieved three minutes later when Skrtel powered a free header wide from Steven Gerrard's corner.

Cisse might have caused problems for Mignolet in injury time after Skrtel had been booked for a cynical trip on Sissoko two yards outside the penalty area, but the Senegal international lifted his effort high over.

Pardew made a change at the break when Perez replaced Cisse, who has been struggling with a knee problem, but it was the visitors who went close five minutes after the restart when Balotelli forced a solid save from Krul with a dipping, swerving free-kick.

The Holland international had to pluck another effort from the Italian out of the air five minutes later, and he produced a stunning one-handed save to repel Philippe Coutinho's 58th-minute header, although the offside flag was up.

Reds' skipper Steven Gerrard was playing significantly higher up the pitch and was far more effective as a result, although full-back Paul Dummett gave the visitors something to think about when he strode forward on the hour and blasted a left-foot drive just over.

The home side picked up the pace and drove Liverpool back towards their own goal as the half wore on, but with Gerrard pulling the strings, Liverpool were a different proposition and substitute Fabio Borini fired wide from distance after running on to Sterling's 70th-minute lay-off.

But the breakthrough finally arrived with 17 minutes remaining when Sissoko and Dummett played a one-two for the Frenchman to cross towards Cabella.

Full-back Alberto Moreno managed to cut the ball out, but hesitated - allowing Perez to step in and score from close range.

It should have been 2-0 four minutes later when Cabella and Perez broke with the Spaniard sending the Frenchman in against Mignolet, who stuck out his right boot.