Cisse scores twice as Newcastle beat Liverpool

Sunday Newcastle Utd  2-0 Liverpool Tottenham  3 - 1    Swansea City

Monday, April 02, 2012
Newcastle celebrate after Papiss Cisse scores his second of the game. Net photo.

SundayNewcastle Utd  2-0 LiverpoolTottenham  3 - 1    Swansea CityPapiss Cisse showed £35million man Andy Carroll how to do it as Newcastle increased their advantage over Liverpool to 11 points.The Senegal international’s 19th-minute header set the Magpies on their way to a victory which leaves them in pole position to claim a top-six Barclays Premier League finish, and his second with 59 minutes gone sealed it.But on a black day for the visitors, keeper Pepe Reina was sent off nine minutes from time for head-butting defender James Perch, indicating as he belatedly left the pitch that he would resume their discussion after the final whistle.Cisse has now scored seven goals in as many games, one fewer than Carroll had managed in 48 appearances for the Merseyside club.The Gateshead-born frontman’s unhappy return ended with 11 minutes left when he was substituted after he had been serenaded with a resounding chorus of ‘what a waste of money’, while fellow old boy Jose Enrique, who had earlier been taunted over his claims that Newcastle would never again challenge for the top six, spent the final few minutes in goal with manager Kenny Dalglish having used all his substitutes.But it was all smiles for the locals among a sell-out crowd of 52,363 as Alan Pardew celebrated a repeat of his first game in charge with another win over Liverpool.The game was billed as a significant showdown in the race for sixth place with the Magpies enjoying an eight-point advantage over the big-spending rivals ahead of kick-off.It was also a homecoming for Carroll and Enrique, both of whom were treated to a hostile reception by fans who mourned their respective departures, but have since found life without them more than bearable.