Date:09/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/09/stories/2008030958901700.htm

Sport - Football

Liverpool cruises past Newcastle

LONDON: Liverpool piled more misery on Newcastle United with a 3-0 victory at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday. First-half goals from Jermaine Pennant and Fernando Torres, his 25th of the season, and Steven Gerrard’s effort after the break strengthened Liverpool’s hold on fourth place over city rivals Everton.

Relegation-threatened Newcastle, without a league win since December, has picked up just two points in the seven matches since Kevin Keegan returned as manager in January.

Reading moved up five places and out of the bottom three with a 2-0 defeat of Manchester City while second-from-bottom Fulham drew 1-1 with Blackburn Rovers.

The results: Blackburn Rovers 1 (Morten Gamst Pedersen 60) drew with Fulham 1 (Jimmy Bullard 89); Liverpool 3 (Jermaine Pennant 43, Fernando Torres 45+1, Steven Gerrard 51) bt Newcastle United 0; Reading 2 (Shane Long 62, Dave Kitson 87) bt Manchester City 0.