Saturday 8 March 2008 15:00 FA Barclays Premier League
"Liverpool"	3 - 0	"Newcastle United"
	(2-0)
GOAL
Pennant 43, Torres 45, Gerrard 51
25  Jose Reina  17  Alvaro Arbeloa  23  Jamie Carragher   6  John Arne Riise  37  Martin Skrtel  14  Xabi Alonso  11  Yossi Benayoun   8  Steven Gerrard (c)  21  Lucas Leiva  16  Jermaine Pennant  10  Fernando Torres  Subs:  30  Charles Itandje   4  Sami Hyypia  19  Ryan Babel  15  Peter Crouch  18  Dirk Kuyt		13  Steve Harper   3  Sanchez Jose Enrique  25  Abdoulaye Faye  27  Steven Taylor  21  Habib Beye  11  Damien Duff  22  Nicky Butt  14  Charles N'Zogbia  16  James Milner  10  Michael Owen (c)  17  Alan Smith  Subs:  34  Fraser Forster   6  Claudio Cacapa  20  Geremi  39  Andrew Carroll   9  Obafemi Martins
SUBSTITUTIONS
Gerrard (Kuyt 66)  Torres (Crouch 72)  Pennant (Hyypia 79)		Milner (Geremi 44)  Duff (Martins 55)
OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS
Referee: Peter Walton Linesman: B Rubery, R Martin 4th Official: M Jones
Booked: Riise 25		Booked:
VENUE		MANAGERS
Anfield (capacity 45,362) Attendance: 44,031		Rafael Benitez (Liverpool) Kevin Keegan (Newcastle U)

  Price: J3,00

  TORRES INSPIRES REDS TO FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN

  Liverpool will head to the San Siro in fourth spot after Fernando Torres helped pile more pressure on Anfield legend Kevin Keegan.

  The club's record signing scored one and had a hand in two more as the Reds cruised to a fifth straight win. It's now 25 for Torres this season, just three fewer than the returning Michael Owen's best tally.

  Jermaine Pennant and Steven Gerrard were the other scorers as Liverpool recorded a 300th Premier League win.

  The manner of the result, which leaves Newcastle without a victory in eight since Keegan's much-publicised return, meant Torres and Gerrard could watch the final 20 minutes from the bench ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash.

  It was perhaps with Inter in mind that Rafa Benitez made three changes from Wednesday night's victory over West Ham: Jermaine Pennant, Lucas Leiva and Yossi Benayoun in for Ryan Babel, Javier Mascherano and Dirk Kuyt.

  There was no tinkering with the system, however, with Torres up front alone in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The Spanish ace, who was presented with his player of the month trophy prior to kick off, was just 8-1 to score a third successive home hat-trick.

  He had to wait just 11 minutes for a first opportunity after getting a run on Abdoulaye Faye inside the 18-yard box. There was only ever one winner there but it was Steve Harper to the rescue for Newcastle.

  Despite this, the personnel changes seemed to affect Liverpool's fluidity until the breakthrough came on the stroke of half time. Or maybe it was the teeming rain.

  Either way, the home side suffered a scare early on when Charles N'Zogbia floated a corner to the near post, where Faye was waiting to test Pepe Reina with a glancing header.

  At the other end, Gerrard called Harper into action after a quickly taken free-kick, then had a penalty shout denied following a mis-timed challenge from Jose Enrique.

  Just as it looked like the half was going to end in frustration, however, two goals in two minutes silenced the previously rowdy Toon Army.

  The first was a freak. It came when Enrique went to clear a mis-placed throughball from Torres, but instead of going into the stands the ball hit the unknowing Pennant and ricocheted into the back of the net.

  Before Anfield had time to catch its breath that man Torres made it two after latching on to a defence-splitting pass from Gerrard.

  What came next was poetry in motion as the striker sold Harper a beautiful dummy before tucking into an empty net.

  Benitez revealed in this morning's newspapers that Owen could have been a target had Torres not signed last summer. If you'd asked the Kop to choose back then, it'd have been no contest. Bring on the second second-coming, they'd have said - but not now.

  For here, on the turf where the Newcastle captain used to terrorise Premier League defences, a new star has been born - one arguably capable of shinning even brighter than Owen in his pomp.

  It was now 13 goals in 12 starts for Torres - and there was still 45 minutes to go. But it's not all about goals where the former Atletico man is concerned.

  For his next trick he turned provider, picking the ball up on the half-way line on 51 minutes before picking out Gerrard's well-timed run.

  One-on-one, the skipper stayed as cool as a fridge, lobbing the 'keeper with an swagger that goes hand-in-hand with brilliance.

  Now it was a case of how many. Lucas tried to get in on the act with a 30-yard hit before Gerrard and Torres once again combined to force the best out of Harper.

  Kuyt, Benayoun and Riise all came close in the final 10 minutes but, for today at least, Liverpool were done.

  The travelling fans did at least have one thing to smile about following Obafemi Martins' unbelievable chest and volley which hit the bar from 45 yards. Not that it was any comfort to the increasingly bewildered Keegan.

  Stay logged on to .tv on Sunday for highlights.

  Teams

  Liverpool 4-2-3-1: Reina, Riise, Carragher, Skrtel, Arbeloa, Pennant, Alonso, Leiva, Benayoun, Gerrard (c), Torres. Subs - Babel, Crouch, Hyypia, Itandje, Kuyt.

  Newcastle United 4-4-1-1: Harper, Enrique, Faye, Taylor, Beye, Duff, Butt, N'Zogbia, Milner, Owen (c), Smith. Subs - Cacapa, Carroll, Forster, Martins,

  Referee: Peter Walton

  Conditions: Unavailable

  Attendance: Unavailable

  Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Fernando Torres

  Breakdown

15:01 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Newcastle get the game under way
2 mins : Skrtel wins his first dual with Owen and clears long
4 mins : Gerrard bursts into the area, but Faye blocks the danger
6 mins : Great play between Pennant, Torres and Benayoun almost presents a chance for the Reds
7 mins : Skrtel gets the better of Owen again, but takes a whack for his troubles
8 mins : Newcastle win a corner
9 mins : Reina is forced into a smart stop after Faye gets his head on N'Zogbia's corner
10 mins : Torres flys past Faye and brings a fine save from Harper, Liverpool have a corner
11 mins : The corner falls at Torres' feet, but he cant control and Newcastle clear
12 mins : Pennant beats his man crosses low, but Newcastle clear again
13 mins : The rain is streaming down here at Anfield, but Liverpool look to building some momentum now
15 mins : Pennant's great run is matched by Carragher's pass and it almost brings a chance for Torres, but it's cleared
17 mins : Skrtel looks in good form as this time he blocks Milner out
19 mins : Alonso's pass finds Gerrard in the hole between Newcastle's defence and midfield and the skipper brings a save from Harper with a long range shot
21 mins : Torres shows he's not just a goalscorer as chases down Beye and wins the ball
23 mins : Newcastle are dropping back inside their half every time Liverpool have the ball, making it difficult for Rafa's men
24 mins : The ball breaks for Owen and he heads goalwards before his shot is blocked
25 mins : First Booking: John Arne Riise: Riise is booked for a foul on Milner
30 mins : Liverpool are enjoying all of the possession, but they're making little impression on Newcastle's two banks of four
33 mins : Liverpool win another corner
33 mins : The corner is easy for Harper
34 mins : I said Newcastle have two banks of four, but it's a four and a five because Owen is playing up on his own
36 mins : Arbeloa escapes down the right, but he fouled by Enrique before he can cross
36 mins : Gerrard's shot brings another save out of Harper, Liverpool are knocking at the door
38 mins : Milner has to go off to receive treatment after he's caught by Lucas
41 mins : Appeals for a penalty as Gerrard's goes down under challenge from Enrique in the area, but the referee is having none of it
43 mins : GOAL! Jermaine Pennant: Pennant doesn't know much about it, but he's put the Reds in front
44 mins : Substitution: Geremi for James Milner:
45 mins : GOAL! Fernando Torres: It's 25 for El Nino as he takes Gerrard's pass, rounds Harper and makes it 2-0
15:49 GMT : Half Time Reached

16:04 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Liverpool kick off the second half attacking the Kop end, if they can win today it will be their 300th since the Premier League began
47 mins : Their 300th Premier League win
48 mins : Carragher's pass back forces Reina into a hasty clearance and he scuffs it out of play
49 mins : Harper beats Torres in a race for the ball, but his clearance gives Liverpool a throw in an advanced position
50 mins : Gerrard's pass gives Lucas an invitation to go into the area, but Newcastle snuff out the danger
51 mins : GOAL! Steven Gerrard: Torres turns provider for Gerrard and he surely wraps up the points with a smart finish over Harper
54 mins : The Kop taunts the away fans with a chorus of 'going down, going down'
56 mins : Lucas strides forward and trys a curled shot, but it's well wide
57 mins : Harper makes a fantastic save from Gerrard to keep it at 3-0
57 mins : From the resulting corner Gerrard's shot is deflected just over
58 mins : Substitution: Obafemi Martins for Damien Duff:
59 mins : Today's attendance is 44,031
60 mins : Skrtel's mistake gives the ball to Owen, but he cant do anything with it
63 mins : Kuyt gets instructions from Rafa on the touchline, it looks like he'll be on soon
65 mins : Arbeloa sportingly puts the ball out of play so that Martins can get treatment
67 mins : Martin's pace helps him get the better of Riise, but his shot is tame and easy for Reina
69 mins : Crouch is called back from warming up by Rafa, it looks like Torres is going to get a rest too
69 mins : Martins turns and hits a volley from 40 yards that has Reina beaten but comes back off the crossbar
72 mins : Substitution: Peter Crouch for Fernando Torres: Torres gets a great reception as he goes off
74 mins : It's all gone a bit flat here, but Liverpool wont mind that
74 mins : Confusion between Skrtel and Reina gives Newcastle a corner
75 mins : Pennant's pass nearly gets Kuyt through on goal, but Enrique cuts it out
79 mins : Substitution: Sami Hyypia for Jermaine Pennant:
80 mins : The Newcastle fans are still singing despite their depressing predicament
83 mins : Harper makes a brilliant double save from Kuyt and Riise, the Reds look they could score at will today
87 mins : Kuyt crosses to the head of Benayoun and it takes a good block from Taylor to clear
90 mins : There will be a minimum of two minutes added time
16:52 GMT : Match Over

  © Copyright of Official Site Liverpool FC