Monday 26 December 2005 15:00 FA Barclays Premier League
"Liverpool"		"Newcastle United"
2 - 0  (2-0)
GOAL
Gerrard 14, Crouch 43
	25  Jose Reina   6  John Arne Riise   3  Steve Finnan  23  Jamie Carragher   4  Sami Hyypia   8  Steven Gerrard (c)  10  Luis Garcia  14  Xabi Alonso   7  Harry Kewell  15  Peter Crouch  19  Fernando Morientes  Subs:  20  Scott Carson  11  Jose Miguel Rey  28  Stephen Warnock   9  Djibril Cisse  24  Florent Sinama-Pongolle		1  Shay Given  33  Celestine Babayaro   6  Jean-Alain Boumsong  27  Steven Taylor  26  Peter Ramage  20  Albert Luque  11  Lee Bowyer  15  Amdy Faye  14  Charles N'Zogbia  10  Michael Owen   9  Alan Shearer  Subs:  12  Steve Harper   3  Robbie Elliott  19  Titus Bramble   4  Nolberto Solano  23  Shola Ameobi
SUBSTITUTIONS
Kewell (Sinama-Pongolle 67)  Crouch (Cisse 72)  Finnan (Rey79)		Taylor (Bramble 28)  N'Zogbia (Solano 46)  Luque (Ameobi 86)
OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS
Referee: Mark Halsey
Booked: Crouch 66		Booked:  Sent Off: Bowyer 66
VENUE		MANAGERS
Anfield (capacity 45,362) Attendance: 44,197		Rafael Benitez (Liverpool) Graeme Souness (Newcastle U)

  Price: J3,00

  Notes:

  - Liverpool keep a clean sheet for the 8th league game in a row, first time since the 1922-23 season.

  - Lee Bowyer sent off on 66th minute for a challenge on Alonso.

  - Crouch credited with LFC's 2nd goal by Liverpool's official site, but SKY gave it as an own goal by Shay Given. We go along with Liverpool's official stats.

  Moments later the Irish keeper pulled off one of the saves of the season to deny Harry Kewell with a close-range volley and as the visitors struggled to clear Gerrard drove a low shot narrowly wide.

  The Reds skipper seemed like a man on a mission during the early stages and it came as no surprise that his was the first name on the scoresheet shortly before the quarter hour mark. A cross from the right by Luis Garcia was played into Gerrard's path by a deft touch from Crouch and the inspirational captain did the rest, finding the top corner with a rasping right-foot drive.

  A delightful piece of trickery by Harry Kewell had the Liverpool fans on their feet again after 20 minutes. The in-form Aussie skipped over a wild challenge by Lee Bowyer and expertly side-stepped full-back Craig Ramage as he glided down the left flank with apparent ease.

Unfortunately, his subsequent centre failed to yield another goal but it was further proof of the superiority Liverpool were enjoying over the Geordies.

  With what was a rare attack Newcastle's Charles N'Zogbia forced Riise to head from underneath the bar after he'd cut in from the left and floated a threatening centre into the heart of the Reds penalty box but it was to be a brief moment of uneasiness for the home side.

  Normal service was soon resumed. Given had to get down low to palm a Gerrard free-kick away and the rebound was frantically cleared off the line as the Reds threatened to kill the game off before the kettle had been put on for the half-time cups of tea.

  Two minutes before the break that's exactly what they did. Kewell picked out Crouch with a pinpoint delivery from the left and the big man's towering header squirmed past Given and over the line.

  Liverpool went close to extending their lead shortly after the restart when a Morientes header was blocked on the line by the arm of Nolberto Solano and further goals seemed certain as both sides committed themselves to attack.

  The next incident of note, however, was nowhere near the vicinity of the penalty box. Bowyer's late tackle on Alonso saw the game explode into fury and a mass brawl threatened to break out as players from either side squared up to each other before referee Mark Halsey gave the former Leeds man his marching orders.

  With a two-goal advantage Rafael Benitez then took the opportunity to use his full quota of substitutions and give three of his men a rest in readiness for the demanding schedule that lies looms in the next seven days.

  As a result, Liverpool's earlier spark faded slightly and, despite being up against only ten men, there were no further goals to report as the game petered out to a comfortable and highly satisfactory conclusion.

  Nevertheless, it's a result that extends Liverpool's winning run in the Premiership to eight games, maintains their unrelenting pursuit of the league leaders and ensures Liverpudlians everywhere will have extra reason to be merry when they continue their yuletide celebrations tonight.

  Teams

  Liverpool (4-4-2): Reina, Riise, Hyypia, Carragher, Finnan, Kewell, Gerrard (captain), Alonso, Garcia, Morientes, Crouch. Subs - Carson, Cisse, Josemi, Sinama Pongolle, Warnock.

  Newcastle United (4-4-2): Given, Babayaro, Boumsong, Taylor, Ramage, Luque, Bowyer, Faye, N'Zogbia, Shearer (captain), Owen. Subs - Elliott, Solano, Harper, Bramble, Ameobi.

  Referee: Mark Halsey

  Conditions: Fine and dry

  Attendance: 44,197

  Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard

  Breakdown

15:01 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Liverpool kick off attacking the Anfield Road
3 mins : Liverpool threaten but Kewell blazes over from 18 yards
5 mins : Morientes bursts through but Given is out quickly and saves at his feet
5 mins : Crouch heads back and Given makes a brilliant save from Kewell's volley
5 mins : Gerrard is the latest to threaten, but his shot is wide - Newcastle are shaking
10 mins : Finnan crosses but Boumsong heads away
14 mins : GOAL! Steven Gerrard: Couch lays it off for Gerrard who finishes brilliantly
15 mins : Morientes almost gives Crouch a chance, but his pass is too hard
18 mins : Gerrard hits sublime long range pass but it justs falls in front of Garcia
23 mins : Garcia is almost through but he's caught offside
24 mins : Riise heads over with Shearer ready to pounce
24 mins : Reina turns Luque's corner over the bar
25 mins : Luque wastes the resulting corner as it goes out before coming back in
28 mins : Substitution: Titus Bramble for Steven Taylor: Taylor is forced off with an injured arm
30 mins : The Reds have a free kick 18 yards out in the centre of the goal
31 mins : Given gets down well to stop Gerrard's goalbound free kick
36 mins : Gerrard breaks free and crosses, but Garcia miss-hits his shot wide
39 mins : Great play between Gerrard, Finnan and Kewell wins a corner
40 mins : Hyypia gets his head to Kewell's cross but Given saves
42 mins : Reina needs two attempts to hold N'Zogbia's fierce drive
43 mins : GOAL! Peter Crouch: Crouch doubles the Reds advantage with a superb downward header
45 mins : Garcia blazes over after good work from Crouch
15:47 GMT : Half Time Reached
45 mins : Substitution: Nolberto Solano for Charles N'Zogbia:

16:04 GMT : Second Half Begins
47 mins : Luque's pass is wayward and goes to Reina
50 mins : Liverpool pin Newcastle in their own half
51 mins : Morientes' header appears to be stopped on the line by Solano's arm, but Newcastle escape
54 mins : Newcastle threaten with a corner but Kewell clears well
56 mins : Garcia almost connects with Gerrard's cross - if he had, he'd have scored
59 mins : Bramble clears well as the Reds threaten again
63 mins : Luque's cross has the Reds defence scrambling to clear
66 mins : Sending Off: Lee Bowyer: for a foul on Morientes
66 mins : Booking: Peter Crouch: Crouch is booked for pushing Bowyer
67 mins : Substitution: Florent Sinama Pongolle for Harry Kewell:
70 mins : Liverpool have a corner after Alonso's shot is deflected
70 mins : Alonso tests Given again with a half volley from 25 yards
72 mins : Substitution: Djibril Cisse for Peter Crouch:
75 mins : Cisse bursts through but can't keep his shot down under pressure
79 mins : Substitution: Josemi Josemi for Steve Finnan:
80 mins : Josemi's throw in causes confusion but Given gathers the ball above Pongolle
82 mins : Given produces another great save to deny Cisse
86 mins : Substitution: Shola Ameobi for Albert Luque:
87 mins : Gerrard curls a shot just over
88 mins : Gerrard tries again, but this time his half volley drifts wide
90 mins : There will be 3 added minutes
16:52 GMT : Match Over

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