Bumbling Boumsong makes it easy for Liverpool

Newcastle United 1 Liverpool 3

The French international has largely been a liability since he arrived 14 months ago, and no more so than yesterday.

Bumbling Boumsong’s glaring ineptitude led to his sending-off five minutes into the second half when he conceded the penalty from which Djibril Cisse sealed Liverpool’s first victory here for almost five years. Boumsong will now be banned for the FA Cup quarter-final against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, but that will be viewed as a blessing, not a blow, on Tyneside.

Having completely missed the ball, Boumsong clambered all over the goal-bound Peter Crouch in a desperate attempt to atone for his mistake. Referee Mike Riley raised an automatic red card, but Boumsong looked reluctant to leave the field. As he eventually trudged disconsolately along the cinder track behind Shay Given’s goal, the home fans vented their fury in Boumsong’s direction.

Cisse sent Given the wrong way with the spot-kick and the game, as a contest, was over. The Liverpool striker was booked for an excessive celebration when he lifted his top to reveal a message of love to his wife and children emblazoned on a T-shirt.

Soon afterwards, Cisse was spoken to by the referee for gesturing to the crowd in response to abuse. But the focus ultimately fell on Boumsong’s failings as the home side suffered a second successive defeat.

Liverpool were firmly in the ascendancy after taking a 10th-minute lead through Peter Crouch and skipper Steven Gerrard added a second in the 34th minute. Gerrard prompted the move for the opener when he worked the ball out to Jan Kromkamp.

The Dutchman’s cross to the far post found the head of the towering Crouch, who had forced his way between Boumsong and Peter Ramage to execute a downward header that gave Given little chance.

Crouch was instrumental when Gerrard registered his 18th goal of the season. Cisse centred, Gerrard performed a cushioned header and then moved on to Crouch’s lay-off to drill in a devastating right-foot drive from the edge of the area.

Newcastle replied six minutes later when Scott Parker, making his 150th Premiership appearance, floated the ball in from the right and Shola Ameobi escaped Sami Hyypia to loop home a header. Liverpool claimed offside against Alan Shearer and clearly had a case.

But such are the vagaries of the modern-day offside law that the Newcastle skipper was deemed not to be active. Boumsong’s dismissal and Cisse’s penalty ensured it was academic and the margin of victory would have been greater had Given not effected brilliant second-half saves from Xabi Alonso, who came on as a substitute for Gerrard, and Kromkamp.

Opta Fact: Newcastle have collected three red cards in their last four Premiership games against Liverpool.

Opta Fact: Peter Crouch now has three Premiership goals against Newcastle. Only against Middlesbrough (4) has he been more prolific

NEWCASTLE: Given; Ramage, Boumsong, Elliott, Babayaro; Solano, Parker, Emre (Clark 90 mins), N’Zogbia (Bowyer 28); Shearer, Ameobi (Dyer 62).

LIVERPOOL: Reina; Carragher, Hyypia (Fowler 90), Agger; Kromkamp, Gerrard (Alonso 75), Hamann, Kewell, Warnock; Cisse, Crouch (Luis Garcia 63).

Referee: Mike Riley.