Saturday 27 April 2013

Liverpool barely missed the banned

        
    The spotlight had been on Suarez throughout the week, with even Prime Minister David Cameron intervening, saying the striker set "the most appalling example" to children when he bit Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic last Sunday.Pardew had described beating Liverpool as "crucial" - victory against Rodgers' men would have taken Newcastle, who were Champions League contenders last season, to 40 points and, in many people's eyes, safety.Liverpool quickly doubled their advantage with Coutinho the architect. The Brazilian's precise pass cut through the home defence and Sturridge unselfishly rolled the ball towards Henderson, who side-footed into the far corner. It seems improbable that Liverpool's leading goalscorer, with 30 goals this season and a place on the shortlist for the PFA's Player of the Year award, will not be missed during the next nine games.Instead, the Magpies, five points above the bottom three, now have three games - against West Brom, Queens Park Rangers and Arsenal - to secure their Premier League status.But against such obliging opponents as Newcastle, the Uruguay striker's terrier-like qualities were not needed as Coutinho and Sturridge added imagination and spark to Liverpool's attack.Newcastle's defending will have to improve in the next few weeks as the visitors dominated from the moment Coutinho's beautiful pass set Glen Johnson sprinting down the right inside the opening minute.Their manager Brendan Rodgers was dressed all in black for this match, but it is Alan Pardew who will be in mourning as his team suffered their heaviest Premier League defeat at St James' Park.

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