Newcastle United 1 Liverpool 4
by Paul Walker of the "Press Association" Ruud Gullit arrived on Tyneside promising to bring "sexy football" to Newcastle - but today it came from Liverpool. Michael Owen smashed a sensational hat-trick in 15 first-half minutes as the Merseysiders turned in a breathtaking display to surge to the top of the Premiership. New Magpies boss Gullit sat down to watch the game from the directors' box in the stand, but by half-time he was forced to move down to the touchline as Liverpool threatened to run riot with Patrik Berger also on target. The visiting fans taunted their hosts with chants of "Dalglish, Dalglish" in honour of the Anfield hero who was replaced by Gullit in a dramatic week of change on Tyneside. And they also told Gullit what he could do with his "sexy football" - as Liverpool provided all the knee-trembling moments. Gullit was presented with a nightmare by his new charges after being given a rapturous welcome by the expectant Toon Army, with Stephane Guivarc'h - Kenny Dalglish's most questioned buy - providing scant consolation with a debut goal. In stark contrast, Liverpool are still unbeaten and under joint-bosses Gerard Houllier and Roy Evans are playing a brand of football that could well become the benchmark for the season. They are playing to their strengths with Newcastle being stretched all over the place by blinding pace from the brilliant Owen to the inventive running Steve McManaman. England hardman Paul Ince was an early victim as Liverpool set the pace. Gary Speed clattered into Ince's suspect ankle but Jamie Carragher's tackle on Dietmar Hamann resulted in the German midfielder limping off after 12 minutes as the visitors hit back. The return of Jamie Redknapp had seen Jason McAteer left out - not the expected Berger - with Liverpool's desire to play attacking football plain to see. And how it worked. They were ahead after 17 minutes when Ince's 25-yard drive was punched out by Shay Given. The angle was acute, but Owen was on the rebound in a flash to drive the ball back in first time. Given did his best to get across, but he could not stop the ball squeezing inside the near post as the diminutive World Cup star opened his account. A minute later the Geordies were stunned again, and Gullit was left head down, scribbling away furiously on a giant notepad after a second goal for Owen. McManaman won possession in midfield and waited patiently before splitting the Newcastle defence with a superb through-ball. Owen was away again, keeping his cool and casually slipping the ball under the advancing Given. Owen's pace was destroying a pedestrian defence, with Stuart Pearce and Philippe Albert looking badly out of touch, and he could easily have had another when his shot was blocked after a Berger cross-shot had skimmed across the area. Newcastle's response was a goal of their own after 27 minutes. Rob Lee scrambled the ball away from a dithering Phil Babb, and the Newcastle midfielder surged into the box where Liverpool were hopelessly outnumbered. The cut-back was met by French World Cup winner Guivarc'h and his scooped shot went in off the far post. The home side might have been back within striking distance, but in reality Newcastle were hopelessly at sea against the pace and quick passing of Liverpool's imaginative attack. Sure enough, Liverpool struck again with a magnificent third. It came after 32 minutes when Karlheinz Riedle caught Steve Watson in possession. His quick pass sent Owen scampering away again. He rode Albert's blatant attempt to chop him down with arrogance, and glided away to clip a stunning right-foot shot into the top corner to seal his hat-trick. The barrage continued when Riedle headed fractionally over from a sweeping three-man move with Newcastle in disarray and Gullit scribbling furiously. The fourth came on the stroke of half-time, and once again defenders were punished for being slow in possession. Berger robbed Laurent Charvet, surged on past Watson and drilled a fine shot across Given and in at the far post. Gullit was gone from his seat by then, no doubt waiting for his new team in the dressing room. The second half saw the Dutchman standing by the dug-out, having switched the side to 4-4-2 and replaced debutant Carl Serrant with Warren Barton. The response from Newcastle was commendable, the fight and spirit was there, as Gullit paced the touchline. But even though the pressure was there from Newcastle, the goalscoring chances never came. The best they constructed was a ball across the box from Gary Speed that found Alan Shearer unmarked on the six-yard line, but his lunge for the ball only took it past the post on a day that belonged to his England sidekick Owen. Newcastle: Given, Watson (Dabizas, 77), Charvet, Pearce, Albert, Serrant (Barton, 45), Lee, Hamann (Glass, 12), Speed, Guivarc'h, Shearer. Subs not used: Perez, Dalglish. Booked: Albert, Lee. Liverpool: Friedel, Staunton, Babb, Heggem, Carragher, Ince, Redknapp (McAteer, 85), McManaman (Thompson, 88), Riedle, Berger, Owen. Subs not used: James, Kvarme, Harkness. Booked: Babb, McManaman, Ince. Attendance: 36,740. Referee: G Barber (Pyrford).
