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Jamie Carragher admitted the failure to keep a ninth successive league clean sheet took the shine off Liverpool's derby success at Everton.
Peter Crouch, Steven Gerrard and Djibril Cisse got the goals which gave Rafael Benitez's men victory in the 202nd Merseyside derby.
But James Beattie netted for Everton just before half-time in a 3-1 win for the Reds - the first goal they have conceded in nine Barclays Premiership matches.
And Carragher told Sky Sports afterwards: "It's disappointing to concede just before half-time - we were expecting a battle in the second half but the third goal (by Cisse) killed the game.
"We are disappointed to concede because the aim before the game was to keep a clean sheet and we haven't done it."
The defender continued: "I know how much this game means - people talk about the Manchester United games but I think for me and Steven it's the biggest game of the season."
Liverpool are currently third, four points behind second-placed ManScum with two games in hand and 15 adrift of champions Chelsea. They can cut that lead to nine and overtake ManScum in the process if they win those two games.
It's the 202nd Merseyside derby at Goodison Park and Liverpool hope to continue their good form against an Everton side who have lost their last two matches 4-0.
A Milan Baros inspired Aston Villa saw them beat the Blues 4-0 on Boxing Day with the former Reds striker scoring twice. In the previous game Bolton beat Everton 4-0 at Goodison Park and in the previous game West Ham won there 2-1.
Last season at Goodison a Lee Carsley goal gave Everton a 1-0 win but Liverpool responded well in the return game at Anfield with a brilliant performance and a 2-1 win, courtesy of goals from Steven Gerrard and Luis Garcia.
In League meetings we are at number 173 today for this derby and the Reds lead those wins by 63-55.
Liverpool are on a great run of form winning eight successive Premiership games and equalling a club record for successive league clean sheets which dates back to 1923.
Liverpool players Pepe Reina, Peter Crouch and Momo Sissoko (who was suspended for the game against Newcastle) should make their Merseyside derby debuts.
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:
Sky Sports - Football 365 - Sporting Life - The Times
Michael Owen getting booed was definitely a disappointment. LFC fans are usually above all that. As for Owen stringing out LFC over his contract extension is concerned I always believed he was just trying to give Gerard Houllier and LFC every last chance to prove they could win something (ie the Prem, or at least the Champions League). He's a footballer before his a fan (as are 99.9% of the players out there) so he was looking out for either a better chance at silverware or more money (something he realistically thought he'd get both at Madrid). Don't forget the whole thing blew up in the last week of the transfer deadline, he was originally going to stay (Rafa had convinced him of that - at least in the short term.) I think he would've given Rafa a chance to prove LFC were something else. And if we had Owen, we wouldn't have had the same problems we had when we lost Cisse so early on. In fact we could well have had a far better start to the season or even a stab at the FA Cup and that, perhaps, would have convinced Owen so sign a new contract seeing Rafa vision - you can be sure he sees it now. As for putting people saying he was putting his place in the World Cup before LFC, it's more a case of putting the World Cup before Real (and for that every Englishman should be thankful). That's why he wanted to leave. He has always said that LFC was his first choice and Newcastle his second (something he even reiterated as a United player).
The money, however, was too much to justify buying him from LFC's point of view and Owen would have to practically play for free to make up the difference between what Newcastle and Liverpool were offering Madrid. Yes he could have told Madrid LFC or nothing, but that wouldn't have really forced their hand, they could still use him as a sub, rather than lose out on a big cheque.
I think he was desperate to come back, but again he freely admits that it would be wrong for Liverpool to have paid so much more for a player they had only sold just the year before. He knows that he made a colossal mistake going to Madrid, and doesn't need reminding of it. He was and is an absolute legend and an LFC great. He deserved a rousing ovation and would have got it from me if I had been there.
Hopefully when some true reds go to St Jame's Park they will give him the greeting all LFC legends derserve.
Michael Owen returns to Anfield for the first time since leaving for Real Madrid last Summer. The Newcaster striker readily admits that he could well have return to Liverpool this summer, but that things didn't work out. Rafa Benitez has also said the although deal wasn't possble this year that the door is most certainly not shut and he would consider Owen in the future.
Benitez has put it in Jamie Carragher's hands to keep his close friend and former team mate at bay when the two sides meat on Boxing Day.
Michael Owen is bound to recieve a warm welcome by the majority of the KOP, famous for their love of their players both new and old, although there will be a number that still haven't forgiven him for the fact or even the way he left for Real Madrid. One things for sure only the travelling support will be cheering if he manages to score this Monday and Owen saysthat he has fond memories of his time at Liverpool but insists he will not feel "guilty or embarrassed" if he scores in front of the fans who once adored him - nor will he try to rub salt in the wounds.
"I remember a conversation with Jamie Carragher a while back when we saw a player looking downcast after scoring against his old club. I don't think either of us could understand that and, if I score, I will celebrate as joyfully as I did at West Ham United last Saturday...I won't shy away or feel guilty or embarrassed, but nor will I be running over to the Liverpool bench and sticking two fingers up."
Another player who is returning to his face his old club is midfielder Didi Hamann, who has reponded well to treatment after suffering injury to his knee following a horror tackle from Essien (Chel$ki) earilier this month. He is still expected to line up in Midfield while Momo Sissoko serves a one game ban.
Meanwhile Alan Shearer is hoping to break the club record of most goals scored by a Newcastle player. It is unlikely to come this Monday, however, as Liverpool's defence has only been breached once in the last 12 games.
Teams:
Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Warnock, Traore, Luis Garcia, Xabi Alonso, Gerrard, Hamann, Kewell, Cisse, Morientes, Crouch, Josemi, Sinama-Pongolle, Carson.
Newcastle (from): Given, Harper, Carr, Ramage, Babayaro, Elliott, Boumsong, Bramble, Taylor, Faye, Emre, Solano, Luque, Ameobi, Bowyer, N'Zogbia, Clark, Brittain, Shearer, Owen, Chopra.
