Cisse gives Toon old boys a day to forget

 Cisse and Newcastle celebrate the striker's opening goal

Andy Carroll and Jose Enrique - two stars of Newcastle's successful return to the Premier League - may have gone to St James' Park yesterday looking to prove a point. Instead they found themselves upstaged by a fluid and clinical Newcastle side that outplayed Liverpool and eased to what proved to be a comfortable victory for Alan Pardew's soaring Magpies.

Early on it appeared as if it was going to be Liverpool's day, Carroll was energetic and confident in his forays forward, and Kenny Dalglish's side played with vibrancy and none of the apprehension perhaps expected of a team that had lost five of it's last six encounters.

Liverpool's early dominance didn't last long, Carroll's day began to take a turn for the worse when he was cautioned for diving after successfully evading the challenges of Mike Williamson and James Perch before rounding Tim Krul and inexplicably falling to the floor with the goal gaping.

The former Newcastle number nine - who infamously left to join the Anfield club on the final day of the January transfer window for a British record £35m fee - then had a claim for a penalty turned down when his header ricocheted off the arm of Danny Simpson at the far post.

That was pretty much to be all she wrote for Carroll, as Newcastle, and their current number nine Papiss Cisse took over. Newcastle had offered little as an attacking threat in the opening 15 minutes, but the Geordies soon had the lead on 19 minutes when Hatem Ben Arfa, afforded too much space by the Liverpool midfield, checked onto his left foot to deliver a deep inswinging cross that was met perfectly by Cisse.

The Senegalese international demonstrated intelligent movement to drift away from the attentions of Martin Skrtel, before arrowing a diving header across goal and in off the post past a stricken Pepe Reina.

Liverpool nearly responded in kind and could have levelled when Carroll leapt highest to meet a deflected Craig Bellamy cross, but he could only direct his header over the bar.

Cisse's goal was his sixth in seven games and he should have added to his tally soon after when he nodded Danny Guthrie's well placed cross wide of the post.

Newcastle continued in the ascendancy after the break and came close to doubling their advantage when Mike Williamson's header crashed against the post.

Jubilation: Newcastle celebrate Cisse's second goal

The Magpies did add to their lead 15 minutes into the second half as Cisse netted his seventh of the campaign. Ben Arfa was once again involved, the enigmatic midfielder surging forward before laying the ball off to Demba Ba, who combined with Yohan Cabaye before the ball eventually fell to Cisse who rounded Reina before composing himself and slotting into an empty net.

There was a suspicion of offside about Newcastle's second, but the goal was no more than they deserved for a controlled and impressive display.

Indeed, Pardew's charges were near faultless in every department. The back four - anchored by James Perch and Mike Williamson in the absence of Captain Fabricio Coloccini - performed superbly. Cheick Tiote's return to the side after two games out with a hamstring injury proved vital, as the Ivorian succeed in negating the influence of Liverpool Captain Steven Gerrard.

By contrast Liverpool continued to unravel with each passing minute, Carroll was substituted - much to the joy of the home support - and subsequently headed straight down the tunnel in frustration at what had been a nightmare return for the striker.

The Merseysiders miserable afternoon was completed soon after Carroll's departure as Reina was dismissed for headbutting Perch after the defender had tripped the Spaniard following a save from another towering Williamson header. Perch's reaction to Reina's indiscipline was theatrical and unneccessary. The former Nottingham Forest man fell to floor, despite replays showing that the keeper had at most made minimal contact with Perch's face.

While Perch's antics were at best disappointing, Reina's red card was certainly deserved, and with Liverpool out of substitutions, it forced Enrique to take his compatriot's place in goal, again much to the delight of the raucous Newcastle faithful.

The game had long been over as a contest by that point, Liverpool's attack appeared limp and lacking in ideas in the second half, and only Luis Suarez showed any signs of netting for the Reds, the Uruguayan's close range effort cleared off the line by the excellent Perch after an initial defensive mix-up between him and Krul.

2-0 is never an entirely comfortable scoreline, but the result had never looked in doubt once Cisse had grabbed his second. The full time whistle was greeted jubilantly by the St James' Park crowd and rightly so, Newcastle are in rich vein of form and have now won three in a row. Sunday's result leaves the Magpies level on points with 5th place and Chelsea and 11 clear of Liverpool, who have now dropped to 8th following the defeat.

Newcastle now have a solid grip on 6th place and a European berth appears likely. A place in the Champions League can not be ruled out, although it will be difficult to overhaul the five point gap to Tottenham and Arsenal.

The Magpies face a tough Easter period with a trip to surprise package Swansea City and a home game against in-form Bolton Wanderers. Newcastle have put themselves in pole position to secure European football, but Pardew will be keen for his side to maintain their focus as they look to wrap up the top six finish that their displays this season have undoubtedly merited.