NEWCASTLE 2 LIVERPOOL 0
NEWCASTLE: Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Perch, Gutierrez, Guthrie (Gosling 65), Tiote, Cabaye, Ben Arfa (Santon 90), Cisse (Shola Ameobi 74), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Ryan Taylor, Vuckic, Ferguson.
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Flanagan, Carragher, Skrtel, Jose Enrique, Shelvey (Downing 75), Spearing, Gerrard, Suarez, Carroll (Kuyt 79), Bellamy (Henderson 79).
Subs Not Used: Doni, Aurelio, Maxi, Coates.
Att: 52,363
Papiss Cisse showed Andy Carroll how wear a Number Nine shirt; Bellars was substituted to 50,000 boos; and Enrique ended up in goal!
The Senegal international romped around St James' with the same sort of smile Carroll used to have, while the £35million man couldn't wait to get off the pitch.
Pepe Reina was sent off nine minutes from time for head-butting defender James Perch, and I'm sure Carroll and the Liverpool keeper had a cozy little chat in the dressing room before the rest arrived.
So let's talk value for money - £10m Cisse has now scored seven goals in as many games, one fewer than Carroll had managed in 48 appearances for the Merseyside club.
The Gateshead-born striker said before the game he would not celebrate if he scored, but he was serenaded with a resounding chorus of: "what a waste of money" and "you will never score a goal" to the Scouse song "You'll Never Walk Alone".
As it happened - he didn't score a goal - even though he had the perfect opportunity to do so.
Carroll's opening 45 minutes did not go as he would have liked as he became involved in a series of physical tussles after being booked for a blatant ninth-minute dive in an attempt to win a penalty.
He crossed Tim Krul's path and was all set to open the scoring, when he tumbled trying to win a penalty.
WHY? God only knows. The hard work was done, but he tried to make out the Dutch goalkeeper clipped his legs, which it was plain to everyone in the crowd that Krul never touched him.
His fortunes did not improve when he was presented with his first real chance with 28 minutes.
Another former Magpie, Craig Bellamy, caused problems for makeshift left-back Jonas Gutierrez throughout, and although Mike Williamson managed to get to his cross first, the ball looped up nicely for the striker to get to it before keeper Krul, only for him to loop his header over.
By that point, his side were already trailing as a patched-up Newcastle team defended deep and in numbers, but hit the visitors repeatedly on the break.
Krul had tipped a Bellamy cross on to the bar and full-back Danny Simpson bundled the ball off the line after the Dutchman had spilled Steven Gerrard's cross.
But when the home side broke, they did so at pace, and to great effect after 19 minutes.
Hatem Ben Arfa skipped away from Jay Spearing and then Jonjo Shelvey to send the perfect cross to the far post for Cisse to rise and head past Reina.
Newcastle created most of the openings, and they might have extended their lead 11 minutes before the break when Demba Ba's long-range shot clipped defender Martin Skrtel and wrong-footed Reina, only to drop just wide.
But Cisse should really have made it 2-0 with four minutes of the half remaining when Danny Guthrie crossed from the right and he sent a downward header past Reina, but wide of the post.
The woodwork came to Liverpool's rescue within three minutes of the restart when Williamson climbed highest to head Guthrie's cross against the foot of the post.
But as the half wore on, it was Liverpool who started to gain the upper hand with their host's carelessness in possession hurting them.
Bellamy only just failed to reach Gerrard's inviting 56th-minute cross and Shelvey drilled the ball straight at Krul.
But when the game's second goal arrived, it did so at the other end, and it was Cisse who again did the damage.
Ba stabbed the ball across goal where Ben Arfa helped it on to Cisse, and he calmly stepped inside Reina before firing home.
Luis Suarez might have reduced the deficit within three minutes but his effort was blocked by Perch.
Dalglish's men continued to fight for salvation as the clock ran down, but their efforts grew increasingly laboured.
Carroll was withdrawn to a chorus of boos and went straight down the tunnel, and Liverpool's hopes were finally dashed when Reina senselessly headbutted Perch nine minutes from time as was sent off.
With Enrique in goal we expected the Toon to pepper the goal, but Alan Pardew gave strict instructions to his players to "keep the ball".