Crouch steals the limelight on Owen’s homecoming

Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0

The rest of the country may yet need some convincing that Peter Crouch is good enough to wear an England jersey but yesterday his popularity reached fever pitch on Merseyside as the beanpole marksman ensured Owen endured a nightmare return to the club he was worshipped for eight years.

It is only a month ago that the country was laughing at Crouch as he struggled to break his scoring duck following a £7m move from Southampton. Now he has five in six games after helping dismantle lacklustre Newcastle.

Owen, who scored 158 goals in 297 senior appearances during eight years at Liverpool, received a mixed reception by Liverpool supporters with some clearly not ready to forgive him for leaving the club for Real Madrid in August 2004. Yet he experienced a miserable afternoon after first-half goals from international team-mates Steven Gerrard and Crouch ensured Liverpool put their disappointment at losing to Sao Paulo in the final of the Fifa Club World Championship behind them with one of their most comfortable victories under Rafael Benitez.

On a day to forget for Graeme Souness' men, Newcastle finished with 10 men after Lee Bowyer was sent off for an X-rated 65th minute challenge on Xabi Alonso which sparked a mass brawl, the fourth time the former England midfielder has been red-carded in a year and the second time in as many seasons at Anfield.

In the seconds that followed, Crouch pushed Bowyer to the floor while Gerrard squared up to Alan Shearer before shoving the former England striker as chaos ensued.

Amazingly, referee Mike Halsey decided against punishing Anfield skipper Gerrard while Crouch was fortunate only to be shown a yellow card.

The FA could now step in and investigate the incident, which both managers claimed afterwards to have missed, which marred a comprehensive home win.

Liverpool, who remain third in the Premiership table, have now taken a maximum 24 points from eight league games since losing to Fulham on October 22. Even more impressive is the defensive record of the European champions, who have now gone 12 hours without conceding.

Only a fine one-handed save by Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given prevented Harry Kewell from sending the hosts into a fifth minute lead after good work from Crouch.

Benitez claimed before the game he tried his best to re-sign Owen before he opted for Newcastle after one season in La Liga and Liverpool supporters could not resist taunting their former hero as his afternoon turned flat.

"Where were you in Istanbul?" in reference to Liverpool's Champions League triumph in May and "You should have signed for a big club" was bellowed in his direction by The Kop as Owen failed to seriously test goalkeeper Jose Reina.

Benitez's side never looked back after taking a 14th minute lead, Gerrard rifling home his 13th goal of the season from just inside the area after a fine move involving Garcia and Crouch. But for Given, Newcastle would have suffered a heavier defeat.

The keeper was at his best to deny Gerrard from adding a second from a 31st minute free-kick before Crouch struck two minutes before half-time after out-jumping the visitors defence to meet Kewell's cross. Given got a hand to the ball but it was not enough to deny the Liverpool player.

Newcastle, who lost defender Steven Taylor in the first-half with a dislocated shoulder which is expected to rule him out of action for three months, rarely threatened.

"We could have scored more goals," said Benitez. "We created a lot of chances.

"I said at half-time we needed the finish the game off. But we never scored that third goal. We were in control but, if Newcastle had got one back, then you never know what might have happened."

It is 11 years since Newcastle last won at Anfield and Souness admitted his side rarely looked like ending that dismal record.