Newcastle

3.00

• 
  10

  4

  2.50

  Tim Krul

  The Dutchman lived dangerously with some questionable positioning but Liverpool were not good enough to take advantage.

• 
  5

  8

  2.50

  Danny Simpson

  The right-back is running out of time to show his paymasters that he deserves the bumper new contract he craves as they eye Champions League football.

• 
  9

  5

  3.00

  Mike Williamson

  After a shaky start he coped well with the aerial threat posed by Andy Carroll and almost scored when his header struck a post.

• 
  12

  10

  3.50

  James Perch

  It is a shame he was at the centre of controversy when he clashed with Pepe Reina because this overshadowed a sterling defensive display.

• 
  17

  2

  3.50

  Yohan Cabaye

  He is being overshadowed by Hatem Ben Arfa but he remains a vital cog in the Toon machine as he vast range of passing makes Newcastle such a formidable counter-attacking side.

• 
  8

  4

  3.00

  Danny Guthrie

  He was deemed surplus to requirements as a youngster at Liverpool but how they could do with someone of his ability in central midfield.

• 
  33

  2

  3.50

  Hatem Ben Arfa

  The mercurial French midfielder was at his crowd-pleasing best and was simply too good for Liverpool to handle as he played a key role in both goals.

• 
  4

  9

  2.50

  Jonas Gutierrez

  The stand-in skipper worked hard enough but failed to make a telling contribution.

• 
  15

  4

  3.00

  Cheikh Tiote

  They call him Mr T on Tyneside and he showed why he would be in anyone's A Team with another fiercely combative performance.

• 
  52

  3

  4.00

  Papiss Cissé Top of the Match

  The standing ovation he received said it all because there is just no stopping the clinical Senegalese striker who has six goals from six appearances.

• 
  8

  11

  2.50

  Demba Ba

  He has now gone seven games without a goal and seldom looked likely to add to his 16-goal haul this term as he dropped deeper and deeper.

Substitutions

• 
  7

  5

  0.00

  Davide Santon

  The Italian was only sent on to give Hatem Ben Arfa a standing ovation.

• 
  6

  6

  3.00

  Dan Gosling

  The former Everton midfielder could hardly imagine having it so easy against a Liverpool side.

• 
  3

  6

  2.50

  Shola Ameobi

  He will regret not testing Jamie Carragher.

Liverpool

2.54

• 
  12

  33

  2.00

  José Reina Paez Flop of the Match

  Just as things looked as though they could not get any worse for Liverpool, they did as the Spaniard lost his cool and was sent off for violent conduct for appearing to headbutt James Perch.

• 
  10

  10

  2.00

  José Enrique

  If the Toon Army were trying to put him out of his stride with their taunts then they succeeded because he looked a shadow of the player who became a favourite on Tyneside. Took the gloves after Reina's dismissal but wasn't tested.

• 
  14

  12

  3.50

  Jamie Carragher

  He is approaching his 700th appearance for the Reds and put all his experience to good use with an assured display.

• 
  7

  18

  2.00

  Martin Skrtel

  He paid the ultimate price when caught ball-watching for Cisse's opener and was then at sixes and sevens when the Senegalese striker doubled the lead.

• 
  14

  9

  3.00

  John Flanagan

  The 19-year-old full-back showed that there are reasons to be optimistic about the future with an assured display in only his tenth league appearance.

• 
  12

  9

  3.00

  Steven Gerrard

  Played much of the game in a wide role and couldn't get in to the game as he would have liked. By the time he had moved into the centre, the game was beyond the Reds.

• 
  10

  12

  3.00

  Jay Spearing

  He was always a willing outlet for the Liverpool defence but Ben Arfa waltzed round him as if he wasn't there on his way to setting up the opener.

• 
  8

  24

  2.00

  Jonjo Shelvey

  There could be no faulting his effort but the brutal reality is that the midfielder looked out of his depth.

• 
  20

  8

  3.00

  Luis Suárez

  Nothing seemed to go right for the striker who only showed glimpses of the class that has made him a darling of the Kop but he looked threatening right until the very end.

• 
  12

  34

  2.00

  Andy Carroll

  Blatant cheating showed his career has taken a dive in more ways than one since he left Newcastle. Played the role of pantomime villain to perfection and then headed straight down the tunnel after being subbed.

• 
  9

  13

  2.50

  Craig Bellamy

  Off day for the Welshman who always had the pace to trouble the Magpies' defence but often lacked finesse when in dangerous positions.

Substitutions

• 
  9

  16

  2.50

  Jordan Henderson

  Newcastle fans taunted him with 'what a waste of money' when he came on late in the day and it is difficult to disagree.

• 
  4

  15

  2.50

  Stewart Downing

  The game was won and lost when he came on and he failed to make an impact.

• 
  9

  12

  2.50

  Dirk Kuyt

  He huffed and puffed but could not get Liverpool back into the game.