Liverpool v Newcastle United – live!

• Hit F5 for the latest or select our auto-refresh button below • Follow Birmingham v Wolves updates with our match centre • Stats centre: the latest Premier League table and more • Email your thoughts to rob.bagchi@guardian.co.uk 45 min: ALmost had a Gilbert O’Sullivan reference to Carol back there. I might have gotten away with it if it hadn’t been for those pesky kids. Mark Gillies writes: “Newcastle fans were singing One Greedy Bastard at Michael Owen last week, now they’re singing it at Carroll. This would suggest they can’t count, or have very short memories.” Very good, Mark. 42 min: Enrique goes down in a tackle and Liverpool use the gap up the left, or Kuyt does, to set up Meireles. The Dutchman squeezes his pass through Coloccini’s legs and Meireles has to stretch to make a lunging shot which Krul gets down to save. “Can’t believe all the guff I’ve read this weekend on how well NUFC have done without Carroll,” writes Simon Lindsay. “In fact, we’ve won twice since he left in January.” 41 min: “I get the sense Jose Enrique is having a good audition,” writes Linda Howard. He’s playing well, Linda. Guitierrez then hits a cross towards the penalty spot from the left and it goes to Ameobi at an awkward height. He lifts his leg high to shoot and shins it off back whence it came. 39 min: A pair of Newcastle free-kicks in what has been a better spell from them. The second is awarded when Barton, much to the Kop’s delight, wears a boot in his face. They win a corner when the cross is blocked, taken by Barton. Out it flies to the left wing where Tiote scarpers over to retrieve and win a throw. 37 min: Super strength from Suarez to win a header on the left and set up Meireles who completely miskicks it and the ball almost goes behind him. But Liverpool recover and cross from the right where Lucas heads and Krul saves. 34 min: Barton takes a corner for the second time after Meireles gets too close the first time. He blocks the second again from about six yards, having charged the corner but the ref lets him get away from it. Then Flanagan is tested by Gutierrez again and hand balls. He’s going to be off if he’s not careful. The free kick from Barton fizzes across the box and Johnson makes a good defensive header from a very dangerous centre. Newcastle cut the corner back to Nolan running in from the edge of the box and he scoops his shot over. 32 min: Andy Carroll starts warming up and gets a predictable response from both sets of supporters of the “One Andy Carroll” and “One greedy ba$tard” variety. 29 min: Flanagan floors Gutierrez as the Argentinian tries to skip past him and the full-back is booked. A minute later he has another run at him and Speariung comes back to help. He thinks he’s saved the ball from rolling out for a corner but the ref reckons it crossed the line. Barton swings it in to Ameobi who connects well but can’t get his header through the massed traffic in the box. 27 min: Lucas fouls Nolan and Newcastle get a chance to build. Their passing has been rather harum scarum so far, trying to get rid too soon. They may need to rejig their formation, perhaps go with one upfront. “Today marks Jamie Carragher’s 665th appearance for Liverpool, that’s a long time in the same job,” writes Johnny Mac. Aye, salutes were given by KK and Steve McMananaman on ESPN. 24 min: Gutierrez crossed from the left, having beaten Flanagan, but he hit it too early and didn’t make the angle difficult for Reina who comes out to claim it off Ameobi at the far post. 21 min: Jeremy “maxi-man” says the goal is Maxi’s too. Fine. They’ve just replayed it and it was on target. I thought his shot would have hit the post from first viewing but I was wrong. Newcastle were having a better spell but then they let Spearing shoot from 25 yards, a low, powerful shot to Krul’s right. The keeper dives and manages to hold on but Kuyt and Suarez were inches away from pouncing on a potential rebound and no Newcastle players tracked their runs. 19 min: Tioté and Lucas challenge each other in the air to the right of the centre circle and Newcastle get the free kick though Lucas will have the larger egg on his temple. Simpson then gets up the right and has a fine opportunity to find Ameobi after good work from Barton puts the full back into the optimum position, but his cross is low and poor and Johnson clears for a throw. 17 min: “You can give the goal to whomever you choose, but if the shot was on target then it is awarded to the attacking player regardless of which way the keeper is diving,” writes John Dove. “So the key issue here, is whether the shot was on target.” It was, John. Suitably chastened I will give it to Maxi then. I’m sure he’ll be relieved. 14 min: The ball actually struck Simpson on the left hand, which was down by his side, so ESPN reckon Maxi should have the goal because it would have been a penalty had it not gone in. Hmm. Not sure. Anyway Liverpool are fizzing the ball about, using the right flank to have a charge at Jose Enrique, perhaps trying to test whether it’s worth making a bid in the summer. 12 min: Some thoughts on Newcastle’s unfamiliar kit. “Must wear white shirts because of a contractual obligation? To whom? White polyester manufacturers? Black dye boycotters? Masochistic Spurs fans? What a strange arrangement,” writes Robin Hazelhurst. To Real Madrid or Don Revie, I suspect. Ryan Dunne reckons: “Surely it’s even worse when teams bring out a kit, loyal punters snap it up, and then it’s hardly ever worn? For example, I think Everton’s pink number is fabulous, and would love to see the Glorious Glasgow Rangers rocking a similar away look, but it’s hardly been worn this season, presumably because the off-cream nomin ally third strip is butcher. Rip-off.The ASA should step in.” It’s a scandal, Ryan. Call Anne Robinson. GOAL!! Liverpool 1-0 Newcastle (Simpson og) I’m giving it to Simpson rather than Maxi because the deflection took it past Krul. It came from an excellent cross by Flanagan on the right that Williamson managed to head out, not very convincingly, and Maxi’s shot clipped Simpson’s foot and went into the middle of the goal while Krul was diving in the initial direction to his right. 8 min: Kuyt and Suarez switch positions with the Dutchman hogging the trouchline on the right and Suarez wandering infield. Nice chipped pass from Kuyt finds the Uruguayan on the edge of the area who offloads first time for Spearing to run on to and shoot from 25 yards. He slices it wide. 6 min: Spearing hits a ball 60 yards or so up for Maxi to run on to and Krul decides to rush out of his area to deal with it and makes a bit of a hash of it so Liverpool get the throw, from which Meireles scuffs a shot wide. 4 min: Newcastle corner after Gutierrez gives Flanagan a test and the young full-back goes safety first. Barton hits a near post centre that Reina comes to claim, drops it and Lovenkrands almost turns on it but Reina gets down sharpish to gather second time. 2 min: Late switch for Newcastle on the bench, Perch injured in the warm-up and Tavernier included at the last minute. Lucas, Kuyt and Suarez team up on the right and the Uruguayan turns sharply and runs outside José Enrique who recovers well to shepherd the ball out for another goalkick. And we’re off: Liverpool kick off and knock it back to Flanagan who gives Suarez a run against Coloccini with an overhit chipped pass up the right touchline that skips out for a goalkick. The problems with modern football #1,224: Newcastle are wearing an all-white strip because of a contractual obligation that they would wear this particular one at least twice this season. Ridiculous. Stanley Victor Collymore: I see we’ve been furnished with the definitive picture from the epic 4-3 in April 1996. Didn’t he finish that beautifully? I doubt Kevin Keegan, one of ESPN’s punditry team, will need reminding of that. I’ll never forget him slapping the advertising hoardings after it went in nor the scenes of the incredibly dignified old Newcastle supporter, Sky’s go-to picture target for much of that traumatic run-in. ESPN have just pointed out that Kenny Dalglish played his last ever match for Liverpool 21 years ago against Derby. That makes me feel old. Afternoon all: On a glorious day when this part of London is thronging with Arsenal and Manchester United fans en route to the Emirates. History suggests that this match at Anfield is a banker for Liverpool. Newcastle haven’t won there since Andy Cole and Rob Lee scored in a 2-0 victory in March 1995 and the Reds have won 14 and drawn one of the past 15 meetings at Anfield. This is a hard-working Newcastle team, though, with Lovenkrands, Barton, Tioté and Nolan having excellent seasons and the unsung defence coping far better than many had expected. Kenny Dalglish’s rejuvenation of Liverpool has been remarkable and Dirk Kuyt and Luis Suarez are bound to give the Toon’s back four the stiffest test. I’ve enjoyed watching both sides, Liverpool more since January than before and we may just get a cracker. Teams Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Flanagan, Carragher, Skrtel, Lucas, Spearing, Maxi, Meireles, Kuyt, Suarez. Subs: Gulacsi, Kyrgiakos, Robinson, Shelvey, Cole, Ngog, Carroll. Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Enrique, Barton, Nolan, Tiote, Gutierrez, Ameobi, Lovenkrands. Subs: Harper, R Taylor, S Taylor, Perch, Ferguson, Kuqi, Ranger. Referee: Peter Walton Premier League Liverpool Newcastle United Rob Bagchi guardian.co.uk

Posted by on May 1, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.