Much has been made of the fact Liverpool are now in the midst of their worst run of form for 58 years after picking up just eight points in 12 games.
And the way the Liverpool skipper put in a half-hearted performance at St James' Park on Sunday just about said it all.
Gerrard was out-played; out-run; and out-thought by Tioté, but Chelsea - who tried to sign him once before - are said to be ready to offer him a chance of picking up the Premiership medal he craves.
Obviously this can only be GOOD news for Toon fans ... as we are desperate to hang on to the midfielder who must be in line for "Player Of The Season".
The debate over Kenny Dalglish’s position as manager continues with some on Merseyside suggesting defeat to Everton in the FA Cup semi-final will see him out on his arse.
Not only did Andy Carroll show the bad feeling in the camp when he gave Dalglish a mouthful of four-letter words when he was substituted ... but Gerrard told the manager to get off the pitch at St James' Park in a manner which had us asking "who's the boss?".
The moment was caught on camera during Pepe Reina’s sending off that suggests all is not well in the Liverpool camp.
YouTube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsEC2WpT78Q
It is thought this could be Frank Lampard's last season at Stamford Bridge, and it was no secret Andre Villas-Boas left him out of the Chelsea team with a view to selling him in the summer.
Roberto Di Matteo is now officially in the hot-seat, although no-one knows exactly who is pulling his strings.
Chelsea have won six of their eight matches under Di Matteo but owner Roman Abramovich is thought to be looking to bring in a "big name" manager.
Abramovich is funding the club from his vast personal fortune, he has the right to make any decisions he wants.
One thing is certain, the Stamford Bridge supremo is a massive fan of Gerrard, and was so close to getting his man a while ago when it came down to a last second decision.
Gerrard stayed at Liverpool, but it was a very very close run thing, and looking at the body language on Sunday - he is NOT a happy bunny!
How often do you see him rubbed out the way he was at St James' Park? He had no heart ... and he wasn't the only one.
Yes we know about the story "Once a Red - always a Red"; but how often did we hear Wayne Rooney say "Once a Blue - always a Blue"?
Chelsea star Mikel told reporters: "It has been a difficult season and you can question the owner, but he wants results and he wants to win trophies.
"If things are not right it is his money, his team, so he has the right to change things. And I think we all respect that.
"Tomorrow, if he says he wants to get rid of us players and wants to get new ones, then we will respect him. It is his money, his business."
EUROPEAN SHOWDOWN ...
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Swansea (A); Bolton (H); Chelsea (A); Stoke (H); Wigan (A); Man City (H); Everton (A)
CHELSEA
Wigan (H); Fulham (A); Newcastle (H); Arsenal (A); QPR (H); Liverpool (A); Blackburn (H)
EASTER FIXTURES:
Monday 02nd April 2012
Blackburn Rovers v Manchester United 20:00
Friday 06th April 2012
Swansea City v Newcastle United 16:30
Saturday 07th April 2012
Sunderland v Tottenham Hotspur 12:45
Bolton Wanderers v Fulham 15:00
Chelsea v Wigan Athletic 15:00
Liverpool v Aston Villa 15:00
Norwich City v Everton 15:00
West Bromwich Albion v Blackburn Rovers 15:00
Stoke City v Wolverhampton Wanderers 17:30
Sunday 08th April 2012
Manchester United v Queens Park Rangers 13:30
Arsenal v Manchester City 16:00
Monday 09th April 2012
Everton v Sunderland 15:00
Newcastle United v Bolton Wanderers 15:00
Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City 15:00
Aston Villa v Stoke City 17:30
Fulham v Chelsea 20:00
Tuesday 10th April 2012
Blackburn Rovers v Liverpool 20:00
Wednesday 11th April 2012
Manchester City v West Bromwich Albion 19:45
Wigan Athletic v Manchester United 19:45
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal 19:45
Queens Park Rangers v Swansea City 20:00
NEWCASTLE UNITED 20011/12
PREMIER LEAGUE
NEWCASTLE 2 LIVERPOOL 0 (Cisse 2)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Perch, Gutierrez, Guthrie (Gosling 65), Tiote, Cabaye, Ben Arfa (Santon 90), Cisse (Shola Ameobi 74), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Ryan Taylor, Vuckic, Ferguson.
WEST BROM 1 NEWCASTLE 3 (Cisse 2, Ben Arfa)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini (Santon 46), Perch, Ben Arfa (Shola Ameobi 75), Guthrie, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Cisse (Ferguson 79), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Gosling, Vuckic.
NEWCASTLE 1 NORWICH 0 (Cisse)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Perch, Ben Arfa (Santon 63), Cabaye, Guthrie (Gosling 76), Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse (Shola Ameobi 69).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Vuckic, Donaldson.
ARSENAL 2 NEWCASTLE 1 (Ben Arfa)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon (Perch 46), Ben Arfa, Tiote (Guthrie 81), Cabaye, Gutierrez, Obertan (Shola Ameobi 61), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Cisse, Gosling, Vuckic.
NEWCASTLE 1 SUNDERLAND 1 (Shola Ameobi)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon (Ben Arfa 46), Ryan Taylor (Lovenkrands 88), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse (Shola Ameobi 72).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Guthrie, Perch, Obertan.
NEWCASTLE 2 WOLVES 2 (Cisse, Gutierrez)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ryan Taylor (Guthrie 65), Cabaye, Tiote (Shola Ameobi 80), Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse (Ben Arfa 65).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Perch, Obertan, Ferguson.
SPURS 5 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Obertan (Ferguson 46), Guthrie (Lovenkrands 86), Perch, Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse (Gosling 68).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Ben Arfa, Abeid, Shola Ameobi.
NEWCASTLE 2 ASTON VILLA 1 (Ba, Cisse)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ryan Taylor (Obertan 33), Guthrie, Perch, Gutierrez, Ba (Shola Ameobi 90), Best (Cisse 14).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Ben Arfa, Gosling, Ferguson.
BLACKBURN 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Dann og, Obertan)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Ben Arfa (Perch 46), Guthrie, Ryan Taylor (Obertan 89), Gutierrez, Best (Lovenkrands 77), Shola Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Gosling, Ferguson.
FULHAM 5 NEWCASTLE 2 (Guthrie, Ben Arfa)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ben Arfa, Guthrie (Perch 76), Cabaye (Gosling 83), Gutierrez, Best (Ryan Taylor 86), Shola Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Lovenkrands, Obertan, Ferguson.
NEWCASTLE 1 QPR 0 (Best)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Ryan Taylor (Gosling 81), Guthrie, Cabaye (Ben Arfa 25), Gutierrez, Best (Perch 76), Shola Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Obertan, Ferguson.
NEWCASTLE 3 MAN UTD 0 (Ba, Cabaye, Jones og)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Ryan Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye (Perch 77), Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi (Best 75), Ba (Obertan 89).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Ben Arfa, Sammy Ameobi, Vuckic.
LIVERPOOL 3 NEWCASTLE 1 (Agger og)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor (Santon 46), Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 84), Tiote, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Vuckic (Ben Arfa 65), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Perch, Best, Shola Ameobi.
BOLTON 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ben Arfa, Ba)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Shola Ameobi 84), Cabaye (Perch 88), Tiote, Gutierrez, Ba, Best (Ben Arfa 61).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Sammy Ameobi, Vuckic, Ferguson.
NEWCASTLE 2 WEST BROM 3 (Ba 2)
Krul, Simpson, Perch, Coloccini, Santon (Ryan Taylor 46), Obertan (Shola Ameobi 72), Vuckic, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Ben Arfa 61), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Williamson, Abeid, Sammy Ameobi.
NEWCASTLE 0 SWANSEA CITY 0
Krul, Simpson, Perch, Coloccini, Santon, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 82), Cabaye, Tiote (Vuckic 82), Gutierrez, Best (Shola Ameobi 71), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Williamson, Ben Arfa, Abeid.
NORWICH 4 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba 2)
Krul, Santon (Ferguson 90), Simpson, Perch, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 80), Cabaye, Gosling, Gutierrez, Ba, Shola Ameobi (Smith 90).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Ben Arfa, Lovenkrands, Best.
NEWCASTLE 0 CHELSEA 3
Krul, Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini (Perch 27), R Taylor, Lovenkrands (Sammy Ameobi 71), Guthrie, Cabaye, Obertan, Ben Arfa (Shola Ameobi 46), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Santon, Gosling, Best.
MAN UTD 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Ba pen)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 65), Cabaye, Guthrie (Perch 74), Gutierrez, Ben Arfa (Lovenkrands 80), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Gosling, Shola Ameobi.
MAN CITY 3 NEWCASTLE 1 (Gosling)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Ben Arfa (Lovenkrands 76), Guthrie, Cabaye (Perch 85), Gutierrez, Ba, Sammy Ameobi (Gosling 79).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Smith, Shola Ameobi.
NEWCASTLE 2 EVERTON 1 (Heitinga og, R Taylor)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Ryan Taylor, Marveaux (Sammy Ameobi 54), Cabaye (Gosling 37), Guthrie, Gutierrez, Best (Ben Arfa 73), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Lovenkrands, Perch.
STOKE 1 NEWCASTLE 3 (Barr 3)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Guthrie (Gosling 90), Cabaye (Perch 78), Gutierrez, Best (Sammy Ameobi 86), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Ben Arfa, Marveaux.
NEWCASTLE 1 WIGAN ATHLETIC 0 (Cabaye)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Marveaux 76), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Ben Arfa 46), Ba (Shola Ameobi 68).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Santon, Perch, Smith.
NEWCASTLE 2 SPURS 2 (Ba, Ameobi)
Krul, Simpson (Santon 77), Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Shola Ameobi 71), Ba (Ben Arfa 71).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Lovenkrands, Gosling, Marveaux.
WOLVES 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba, Gutierrez)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Marveaux 90), Cabaye (Guthrie 89), Tiote, Gutierrez, Best, Ba (Lovenkrands 71).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Ben Arfa, Sammy Ameobi.
NEWCASTLE 3 BLACKBURN 1 (Ba 3)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez (Marveaux 84), Ba (Ben Arfa 74), Best.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Guthrie, Lovenkrands, Perch, Sammy Ameobi.
ASTON VILLA 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Best)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez (Sammy Ameobi 85), Best (Shola Ameobi 69), Ba (Marveaux 80).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Guthrie, Lovenkrands, Perch.
QPR 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 88), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Marveaux 82), Shola Ameobi (Ba 64).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Guthrie, Lovenkrands.
NEWCASTLE 2 FULHAM 1 (Best 2)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Lovenkrands (Ba 62), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Obertan, Best (Vuckic 78), Vuckic (Smith 85).
Subs Not Used: Soderberg, Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi, Ferguson.
SUNDERLAND 0 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (R Taylor)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye (Williamson 85), Barton, Obertan (Gosling 85), Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Lovenkrands, Ba, Best, Marveaux.
NEWCASTLE 0 ARSENAL 0
Krul, Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Ryan Taylor, Simpson, Barton, Cabaye (Lovenkrands 81), Tiote, Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi (Best 73), Ba (Obertan 46).
Subs Not Used: Forster, Williamson, Gosling, Sammy Ameobi.
FA CUP
BRIGHTON 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Simpson, Perch, Williamson, Santon (Ferguson 83), Guthrie (Gosling 83), Cabaye, Gutierrez, Ben Arfa (Ryan Taylor 83), Shola Ameobi, Best.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Lovenkrands, Obertan, Kadar.
NEWCASTLE 2 BLACKBURN 1 (Ben Arfa, Gutierrez)
Krul, Simpson (Ryan Taylor 60), Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Obertan (Shola Ameobi 56), Abeid (Gosling 87), Cabaye, Gutierrez, Ben Arfa, Best.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Perch, Sammy Ameobi, Vuckic.
CARLING CUP
BLACKBURN 4 NEWCASTLE 3 (AET) Guthrie, Cabaye, Lovenkrands (pen)
Krul, Simpson (Sammy Ameobi 70), Perch, Coloccini, Santon, Marveaux (Obertan 77), Guthrie, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Ben Arfa (Lovenkrands 79), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Gosling, Ranger.
NOTTINGHAM FOR. 3 NEWCASTLE 4 (AET) Lovenkrands 2, Simpson, Coloccini
Elliot, Simpson, Coloccini, Perch, Ferguson, Abeid, Guthrie, Gosling (Shola Ameobi 70), Marveaux, Ben Arfa (Sammy Ameobi 70), Lovenkrands (Obertan 80).
Subs Not Used: Krul, Best, Dummett, Henderson.
SCUNTHORPE 1 NEWCASTLE 2 AET (R Taylor, Sammy Ameobi)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson (Steven Taylor 45), Ryan Taylor, Marveaux, Gosling (Vuckic 70), Cabaye, Lovenkrands, Best, Ba (Sammy Ameobi 65).
Subs Not Used: Soderberg, Abeid, Smith, Ferguson.
PRE-SEASON FIXTURES
NEWCASTLE 0 FIORENTINA 0 (Ab 63 mins)
Krul (Forster 46), Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini, Enrique, Gosling (Ba 46), Cabaye, Vuckic, Jonas (Marveaux 46) Lovenkrands (R Taylor 61), Best (Shola Ameobi 46).Subs: Sammy Ameobi, Ranger, Tavernier, Williamson.
LEEDS UTD 3 NEWCASTLE 2 (S.Taylor, Vuckic)
Forster, Cabaye, Williamson, Barton, Simpson, Gosling, Gutierrez, Ba, Shola Ameobi, Taylor, Tavernier. Subs: Krul, Taylor, Best, Vuckic, Sammy Ameobi, Dummett.
COLUMBUS CREW 0 NEWCASTLE 3 (Ameobi, Coloccini, Vuckic)
Harper; Tavernier, S Taylor, Coloccini (Dummett, 54), Enrique; Gutierrez (Abeid, 85), Tiote (Smith, 62), Gosling, Marveaux (Vuckic, 76); Ameobi (Best, 75), Ba. Subs not used: Forster, Krul.
ORLANDO CITY 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Forster; R Taylor (Enrique, 26), S Taylor, Coloccini, Tavernier; Gosling (Vuckic, 71), Smith (Abeid, 74), Tiote, Gutierrez; Best (Ba, 74), Lovenkrands (Ameobi, 74). Subs not used: Krul, Harper.
SPORTING KANSAS 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Gosling, Coloccini, S Taylor, R Taylor, Marveaux (Tavernier 46), Tiote (Abeid 46), Ben Arfa, Gutierrez, Ba (Best 72), Lovenkrands (Smith 46).
DARLINGTON 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Barton, Sammy Ameobi)
Forster; Simpson (Dummett), S Taylor (Tavernier), Williamson (Henderson), Ferguson (R Taylor); Barton (Abeid), Guthrie (Cabaye, Donaldson), Smith (Gosling), Vuckic (Sammy Ameobi); Ben Arfa (Richardson), Best (Ranger). Subs not used: Soderberg, Newton.