Rampant Reds down Magpies

Goals continue to flow at Anfield under Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool strengthened their claim for European football next season with a 3-0 victory over Newcastle.

The Reds, who have scored 14 in their last three home matches, moved above Tottenham into fifth place having rarely been troubled by the Magpies.

Dirk Kuyt's eighth in his last seven Barclays Premier League matches was sandwiched between another for Maxi Rodriguez, who hit a hat-trick in the 5-0 win over Birmingham last week, and one for the impressive Luis Suarez.

Only a goal for Andy Carroll, the subject of incessant abuse from the travelling fans, against his former club would have capped off the performance.

The £35million striker came on for the final 20 minutes but made little impact save for increasing the vitriol from the large away contingent.

Their anger at the way Carroll left them in January, with the club claiming he handed in a transfer request when made aware of Liverpool's interest, was understandable but he was never going to be a major player in this game having missed last week's victory with a knee injury.

Liverpool led when John Flanagan's deep cross was only half headed clear by Mike Williamson and Rodriguez's follow-up volley took a big deflection off Danny Simpson.

There was a hint of fortune about Liverpool's 59th-minute second when Suarez isolated Williamson wide on the left from Jose Reina's kick and was sent tumbling by the defender right on the edge of the penalty area close to the byline.

Referee Peter Walton had no hesitation in pointing to the spot to allow Kuyt to score.

Suarez made no mistake in the 65th minute when he exchanged passes with Kuyt to sidefoot under Tim Krul from 10 yards.