Barclays Premier League as it happened: Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle United

And that's it. Liverpool leapfrog Southampton to move into fifth placed thanks to goals from Raheem Sterling and Joe Allen. They now sit just four points behind fourth placed Manchester City.

Newcastle's horrible run continues; they remain in 13th place on 35 points.

FULL TIME:

Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle United

Ryan Taylor takes, but can only curl a harmless effort over Mignolet's bar. That should be that.

Can Newcastle muster anything in these final few minutes? They have a chance from a free kick 30 yards out to just that, after Cabella is blocked off the ball by Lucas.

Four minutes of time added on at Anfield.

Another change for Liverpool and Raheem Sterling's night is over. Rickie Lambert replaces him for the final few minutes.

Sterling spurs another great chance! Henderson again is the creator, swinging another cracking ball across the face of goal from the right. Coming in from the left, Sterling tries to meet it first time but can only lash a wild effort over the bar.

Newcastle are now down to 10 men. Armstrong tries to jink past Allen but the ball is hacked away. Sissoko tries to retrieve it but doesn't get there in time, and instead plants his studs into the shin of Lucas. It's a second yellow, but it could have easily been a straight red.

RED CARD - Moussa Sissoko

Coutinho and Sterling combine with a delightful one two that sees the latter freed down the right. His first touch is excellent and his cuts in from the flank but Sissoko is back to make an important interception.

Just over 10 minutes of this contest remaining.

Glen Johnson and Sissoko stare down angrily after a spat over a throw in or something. It's all handbags, are both are booked.

Antoehr change for Newcastle as Adam Armstrong comes on for Abeid.

Lovren comes close to making it three, leaping above Williamson to connect with a header from a corner but he can't keep it down.

Liverpool have a bit of breathing space now. Williamson can's react quick enough as Can hooks a ball into the six yard area. It rebounds off the Newcastle defender into the path of Allen, who lashes a sweet strike into the roof of the net.

Goal! Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle United (Joe Allen, 70)

Williamson makes an error out on the left that Borini seizes upon. He races infield and opts to take on the shot from a tight angle despite having Sterling free off to his right. His shot, unsurprisingly, saved.

Jonas Guiterrez now enters the fray, to replace Obertan.

Newcastle win a corner after Obertan fires into the shins of Lovren, after partaking in some of the slowest step overs known to man.

Newcastle fail to clear their lines and Sterling can flick the ball out to Coutinho. He takes on Sissoko and lashes the ball on goal, but it is straight at Krul who can gather at the second time of asking.

Newcastle come again, with Cabella picking out the right pass this time to find the run of Sissoko. Or it would have done, had Lovren nod read it well and intercepted.

Jordon Ibe's night is over, Fabio Borini comes onto replace him.

Dear God... What a miss from Raheem Sterling. Henderson brilliantly powers his way down the right at pace and lifts a low cross into the six yard area. Ryan Taylor makes an utter mess of his attempted clearance, misa-kicking the ball completely, leaving Sterling with the simple task of prodding the ball home from yards out. He swings his left boot at it, and drills his effort wide of the post!

Sterling deftly flicks the ball inside past Taylor and races in from the left, only for Janmaat to get across and clean up, flicking the ball off the Liverpool man to get his side a goal kick.

Sissoko combines with Obertan down the right and is able to drift infield across Lovren and let fly with a shot. It's a pretty tame effort however that Mignolet can easily claim.

Can is down for a minute with what looks like an ankle problem but is back on his feet.

Liverpool clear Taylor's corner and Perez lifts it back across to Obertan who heads wide.

Newcastle come forward again with Abeid cleverly turning his way into the box and eventually wins a corner out of it.

And we are back underway for the second half at Anfield.

HALF TIME:

Liverpool 1-0 Newcastle United

Another great chance for Newcastle! Sissoko wanders into acres in space down the right and has the time to pass a cross into the feet of Abeid in the box. The Frenchman has the time to take a touch, but instead swings a wild effort clean over the bar. That will be the last action of the half.

Newcastle have spent the last couple of minutes stroking the ball around nicely and their patience almost pays dividends as a lofted ball into the box is nodded towards the top corner by Perez. It's going in, only for Mignolet to make an excellent stop and claw the ball out.

Liverpool almost in again. Newcastle make a hash of their attempts to clear the ball, allowing Henderson to slide a ball out to Ibe. He takes on Anita down the inside right channel and lashes a shot on goal, but it is never in danger of troubling Krul.

Was that a penalty for Newcastle? Nervous moment as the swinging left of Lovren appears to catch Perez in the box. John Carver is fuming, as you can imagine.

Tim Krul keeps Newcastle in it! A free kick out on the right is whipped into the box where Newcastle United's defence are all over the shop. Lucas manages to connect with a free header but the Dutch goalkeeper denies him with a fine save, leaping to his left to palm the ball off the line.

Liverpool's onslaught has quietened down a bit, but Newcastle still look fairly incapable of doing anything to change the scoreline. Lucas is doing well in the centre of the park to snuff out any attacks.

As I write that, Obertan gallops into space down the right and pings a cross into the box. It deflects off Lovren, but falls invitingly for Mehdi Abeid but his shot is straight at Mignolet who saves.

This has been all very neat and tidy from Liverpool so far, but Newcastle have been dismal so far.

Sterling is fouled and Liverpool try to work something intricate from the free kick, threading a ball through for Coutinho down the inside right. He drives the ball across goal but Perez is back to make the block. Sterling follows it up but Krul makes the stop.

Coutinho and Sterling almost combine again with the Brazilian curling a pass down the inside left channel, but Sterling's first time cross (or was it a shot?) is easily claimed by Krul.

Brilliant from Coutinho! The Brazilian comes out to receive a throw in and elegantly flicks it over Colback's head before ghosting into the box straight past Williamson. Sterling is free at the far post and he tries to find him with a driven cross but there is just too much on it again.

Ibe this time does well down the inside right having been freed by Henderson. He manages to stab a cross across goal but Anita clears.

A neat move from Newcastle breaks down as Cabella loses his footing out on the byline and Liverpool can usher the ball clear.

It's lifted straight into the arms of Krul however.

Colback is penalised for a foul on Sterling and Henderson will deliver from the left.

Lucas down well to win the ball from Obertan in the centre of the park and shifts it to Sterling, who tries to free Coutinho with a first time through ball. The direction is spot on, but there is just too much on the pass and the Brazilian can't reach it.

Ryan Taylor now does well to cut out a long ball with Coutinho lurking. Liverpool are sniffing out a second.

Moreno is now picked out sneaking up the inside left channel by an excellent pass from Lovren. The Spaniard drives a powerful effort on goal from a tight angle but it's charged down by Krul this time.

Liverpool lead! Sterling livens the game up with an outstanding solo effort. Jordan Henderson crosses an excellent pass into the England man, whose has again popped up inside the left of the box. He excellent first touch brings the ball away from Williamson and the second brilliantly takes it past Obertan, opening up the space for the shot. He wraps his foot around it and curls a brilliant effort past Krul. Good stuff.

Goal! Liverpool 1-0 Newcastle United (Raheem Sterling, 9)

Pretty tame start to the game, this. Newcastle have shaded the opening eight minutes slightly, but that isn't saying much.

Cabella is trying to pull the strings for Newcastle, attempting to thread a precise ball through for Sissoko but the two aren't quite on the same wavelength and the pass goes astray.

Cabella tries his luck from distance but his shot is charged down by Lucas for a corner. The Frenchman takes it but sees his effort flicked clear by Can.

Sterling tries to jink his way inside Williamson down the inside left channel but the Newcastle defender stands his ground well and intercepts. Sterling appeals for something, but nobody cares.

Emre Can brings the ball forward over the half way line and suddenly steps up a gear and bundles his way past two Newcastle men. Sissoko sticks with him however and can get a foot across to intercept.

After a minute silence at Anfield to mark the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, Newcastle get us underway.

Just five minutes from kick off at Anfield.

Here's a reminder of the team news as we approach kick off. Brendan Rodgers, who is without two of his first choice options in defence, reverts to a back four for the first time this year with Glen Johnson, Emre Can, Dejan Lovren and Alberto Moreno all starting.

With Daniel Sturridge unavailable, Raheem Sterling leads the attack for Brendan Rodger' side, supported by Jordan Ibe and Philippe Coutinho.

Newcastle boss John Carver:

The first few days after the derby were tough but we have to focus on this game and try and bounce back.

"The changes we have made are a reaction to that and having Jack Colback in midfield is a big positive for us. We are not going to come here just to defend. We want to get on the front foot."

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers speaking to Sky Sports:

There are still a lot of points - 21 - to play for and we still have plenty of work to do.

"Jordon Ibe is super-quick with great technique and made a big difference when we brought him back from his loan at Derby. He is a naturally fit boy and has been good in training so I had no qualms about putting him straight back in.

What do Liverpool need to do to claw their way back into the top four? Seven points currently separates them and fourth placed Manchester City who are currently engulfed in their own end-of-season malaise. Starting with tonight, Liverpool have three games at Anfield before the end of the season. Their next three games after Newcastle all come on the road against teams scrapping for their Premier League lives. It's anything but a straight forward run in.

Liverpool's remaining fixtures:

Aston Villa v Liverpool

West Brom v Liverpool

Hull v Liverpool

Liverpool v Queens Park Rangers

Chelsea v Liverpool

Liverpool v Crystal Palace

Stoke City v Liverpool

It really hasn't been Daniel Sturridge's season. After missing the first half of the season is comeback hasn't gone completely according to plan and an injury suffered in the FA Cup quarter final replay against Blackburn Rovers has ruled him out for tonight, and possibly Sunday's semi-final with Aston Villa.

The Liverpool boss now admits it will likely now be next season before we see the best of him again.

The key for him was to get back and be fit but he needs a good pre-season under his belt, a total run at pre-season and hopefully he'll be fine for next season. Until that point, we have to maximise what we can get out of him.

"I won't spare anyone if I feel they can contribute and be effective for us. If it fits the work of the team, then I'll do that. If he's physically fit to perform, that's what's important to me. Then it's a case of how we think he can be best used, whether that's from the start or coming off the bench, until he's super-fit."

Meanwhile there are three changes for Newcastle after their derby defeat to Sunderland last time out. Vurnon Anita, Mehdi Abeid and Gabriel Obertan come in for the trio of Sammy Ameobi, Yoann Gouffran and Jonas Gutierrez.

No Sturridge for Liverpool this evening, would you believe it? Raheem Sterling will lead the attack with Jordon Ibe providing support. With both Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho unavailable, there is also an immediate return to the starting XI for Emre Can who starts alongside Dejan Lovren in defence.

BREAKING: Daryl Janmaat is fit to start this evening while there is a starting role for Mehdi Abeid.

Newcastle team to face Liverpool: Krul, R.Taylor, Janmaat, Williamson, Colback, Anita, Abeid, Sissoko, Cabella, Obertan, Perez.

Subs: Elliot, Sterry, Gouffran, Gutierrez, Ameobi, Armstong, Riviere.

BREAKING: Jordon Ibe comes straight into the starting XI tonight after six weeks out injured.

Liverpool team to face Newcastle: Mignolet, Johnson, Can, Lovren, Moreno, Allen, Lucas, Henderson, Ibe, Coutinho, Sterling

Subs: Jones, Toure, Lambert, Manquillo, Borini, Brannagan, Markovic

Newcastle boss John Carver meanwhile indicated he could ring in the changes for tonight's clash at Anfield.

Maybe I need to change the team to start with, maybe I need to change a few positions of one or two players...hope that sparks something.

"Going to Anfield you are going to need characters. I want to see some energy and I didn't see energy last weekend. We talked about outworking Sunderland and they outworked us...again – we can't let that happen against Liverpool."

Confirmation of line ups is expected imminently but here's what we know already. Jordon Ibe is in line to make his return after a six week absence due to a knee injury, while Emre Can is available once again after serving his one-match suspension. Martin Skrtel and Steven Gerrard are still banned, however, while Mamadou Sakho is ruled out with a hamstring injury. Adam Lallana is also ruled out with a groin problem, while Mario Balotelli still has the sniffles that prompted this tweet last week.

We realise we are doing nothing but tempting fate by saying this, but Liverpool v Newcastle United is a game that rarely fails to deliver. There has not been a stalemate between these two sides for 41 years, and while thrilling 4-3s look to be a thing of the past, this is a game that is never short of goals.

After back-to-back defeats to Manchester United and Arsenal, Liverpool's hopes of securing a top four finish look bleak. The Reds currently sit seven points adrift of fourth placed Manchester City and 11 off their arch-rivals United. Tonight is the first of their three remaining league games at Anfield for Brendan Rodgers' side, now would be a good time to start closing that gap.

Newcastle meanwhile appeared to be drifting harmlessly into midtable obscurity a few months ago but John Carver may now be looking nervously over his shoulder. One win in their last eight games leaves the Magpies just nine points off the relegation zone and with the sides at the foot of the table showing no signs of going quietly, Newcastle need to stop the rot.