LONDON – Papiss Cisse scored with two clinical finishes as Newcastle continued their surprise push for a top-four finish on Sunday with a 2-0 victory over Liverpool, who had keeper Pepe Reina sent off late on.
The Senegal striker headed the first from a Hatem Ben Arfa cross before sidestepping Reina and side-footing home for the second.
It was a miserable afternoon for an out-of-sorts Liverpool, who felt they should have been awarded a first-half penalty when Danny Simpson appeared to handle on the line, while Cisse looked offside in the build-up to Newcastle’s second.
Liverpool had Reina sent off with seven minutes remaining when he was judged by referee Martin Atkinson to have headbutted Newcastle’s James Perch after being tripped up by the defender.
Newcastle remained sixth, two points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur who host Swansea City later on Sunday, while Liverpool are eighth, a point behind local rivals Everton.-Reuters