Liverpool gave their fans the perfect belated Christmas present as goals from Steven Gerrard and Peter Crouch sealed a 2-0 home win over Newcastle to ruin Michael Owen's eagerly anticipated Anfield return.In what was an impressive Boxing Day performance by the Reds, who showed no ill-effects from their recent grueling jaunt to Japan, Gerrard and Crouch struck in the first half to seal the points against a Newcastle side who were reduced to ten men in the second half when Lee Bowyer was sent off for a foul on Xabi Alonso.
Predictably, all the pre-match hype had surrounded former Red Owen's first appearance at Anfield since his move to Real Madrid in August 2004 but it was the current Liverpool stars whose praises were being sung loud and proud by the Kop at the end of this memorable festive fare.
The game began at a highly-charged tempo and Owen's first touch of the ball was met with a round of "good-natured" (WHAT!?) booing, followed by a jovial chorus of 'Where were you in Istanbul?'
It was his old club, however, who made the better start and, backed by a vociferous crowd, they went for the jugular from the first whistle. Only two minutes had elapsed when w surging run through the Newcastle defence by Fernando Morientes ended with Shay Given saving bravely.
Moments later the Irish keeper pulled off one of the saves of the season to deny Harry Kewell with a close-range volley and as the visitors struggled to clear Gerrard drove a low shot narrowly wide.
The Reds skipper seemed like a man on a mission during the early stages and it came as no surprise that his was the first name on the scoresheet shortly before the quarter hour mark. A cross from the right by Luis Garcia was played into Gerrard's path by a deft touch from Crouch and the inspirational captain did the rest, finding the top corner with a rasping right-foot drive.
Read the rest of LFC.TV's report here
Other Reports:
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