The good news for Liverpool was that the old tempo returned against Newcastle. The bad news was that it lasted barely half an hour. The win was dug out in the end but Manchester City will not be quaking in their boots just yet.
Daniel Sturridge dropped out with another injury just as the promising Jordon Ibe returned from six weeks on the sidelines, so Liverpool fielded a new-look front three with Ibe on the right, Raheem Sterling on the left and Philippe Coutinho notionally playing centre-forward. Looked at one way that is a thrillingly pacy and skilful attacking trio. Looked at another, with Coutinho dropping deep as usual in search of the ball, it could be argued that Liverpool were playing without a striker.
Nine minutes into the game it ceased to matter much because Liverpool took the lead, Sterling showing neat control and providing a delicate finish after Jordan Henderson picked him out with a precise diagonal pass to the left corner of the penalty area. Whatever the boy has been smoking, to adapt John W Henry’s famous remark about Arsenal, it does not appear to have affected his eye for goal. Sterling’s ongoing contractual dispute does not seem to have affected his popularity with Liverpool supporters either. This was his first appearance at home since his wage negotiations hit the back pages but Anfield was solid in its support, giving him a warm ovation when he departed a few minutes before the end. When the Kop brought up the subject of the still unsigned contract it was not to berate the player but his agent and, when Sterling scored, the whole ground celebrated joyously.
These games always seem to produce goals, even when Newcastle were title contenders their visits to Anfield were usually high-scoring affairs, and the way Liverpool began hinted at the danger these rather insipid descendants of Kevin Keegan’s attacking entertainers might find themselves on the end of a hiding. Newcastle began streaming forward in search of an equaliser on going behind, before realising that was an extremely dangerous game to play. Liverpool simply launched their lightning raiders every time possession was won back and the visitors quickly worked out that with Sterling and Coutinho on the field leaving spaces at the back was not a sensible policy.
Sterling played Coutinho into a huge gap before Newcastle became more cautious, requiring Mike Williamson to make a timely cover tackle to prevent a second goal, before Coutinho nonchalantly slipped his marker on the right to square a ball across the face of goal that Sterling was just unable to reach.
Coutinho, in particular, was popping up all over the pitch, running at defenders, running into spaces and, at one point towards the end of the first half, running 40 yards back across the halfway line to help out Alberto Moreno with a defensive throw. Not many centre-forwards do that, though of course Coutinho is not everyone’s idea of a centre-forward.
The only thing missing in the first half for Liverpool, apart from another goal or two, was a significant contribution from Ibe. The winger did cut in from the right to beat a defender and fire in a shot just before the interval, though it was well off target. Ibe’s return has been eagerly anticipated, with Brendan Rodgers posting glowing reviews of his performances in training, yet perhaps he needs a few more matches to get fully up to speed. He might have prospered had Newcastle continued to leave themselves open at the back but once the visitors organised themselves properly all the Liverpool front-runners saw their opportunities reduced.
Fears of a drubbing had receded by the interval, indeed Liverpool could count themselves slightly fortunate to turn round still in front after Ayoze Pérez and Mehdi Abeid both went close at the end of the first half and the former saw a reasonable appeal for a penalty turned down. While John Carver might not be achieving the results Alan Pardew was getting with Newcastle his players are not merely turning up for games with one eye on the beach, as many have suggested. Newcastle do not have quite enough points on the board to take that sort of risk, they need another win to feel completely comfortable, and playing like this they should get it before long.
They might have got it here with a little more luck and cooler finishing. Liverpool had some nervous moments in defence and midfield and Newcastle were beginning to get on top by the time Sterling missed a glorious chance to make the game safe after an hour. Ibe was briefly involved, his last action of the evening, just holding the ball long enough to send Henderson clear down the right. When the cross rebounded off Ryan Taylor and ended up at Sterling’s feet, all he had to do was stick it in the net. He put it past the post. Perhaps his eyesight is being affected by his publicity habit after all.
It was a good thing for all concerned that Joe Allen made the most of a half chance to secure the victory that keeps Manchester City in reach. For all the flashy promise at the start, this was not a wholly convincing home performance.
