Perfect start for Pardew as Newcastle sink Reds

Alan Pardew enjoyed the perfect start to his controversial reign at Newcastle as late goals from Joey Barton and Andy Carroll clinched a 3-1 win over Liverpool at St James’ Park on Saturday.

Pardew replaced the sacked Chris Hughton as Newcastle boss this week and the Toon Army vented their anger at the appointment both inside and outside the stadium with a string of chants aimed at unpopular owner Mike Ashley.

The former West Ham and Charlton manager was dismissed by League One Southampton earlier this season and hardly seems to have the track record required for success at a club of Newcastle’s size.

But all of that was forgotten when Barton pounced ten minutes from time and Carroll rifled home in stoppage time to crown a memorable debut for the new Magpies chief.

Liverpool-born Kevin Nolan had put Newcastle ahead early on before Dirk Kuyt’s equaliser and Newcastle are up to eighth place in the Premier League thanks to those two goals in the last 10 minutes.

It was Liverpool who enjoyed the better of the early exchanges and Maxi Rodriguez was first to threaten as he glided infield from the left but failed to trouble Tim Krul with a rising shot from 20 yards.

Carroll should have tested Jose Reina when slipped in by Jonas Gutierrez on 12 minutes but the England striker’s touch deserted him and the Liverpool keeper was able to gather.

But the towering frontman atoned for that miss just three minutes later with a crucial part in the game’s opening goal.

Barton hung a free-kick to the far post where Carroll rose to guide a downward header onto the boot of Nolan, who stabbed home his eighth of the season from point-blank range.

The Reds went in search of a response and only a well-positioned Jose Enrique denied Raul Meireles a leveller when his strike cannoned through bodies only to be hacked from the line by the Spanish defender on 33 minutes.

Meireles then presented Newcastle with a chance to extend their lead when his wayward pass was seized upon by Shola Ameobi.

The striker advanced before seeing a low drive skid inches wide with Reina wrong-footed by a deflection off Martin Skrtel.

Liverpool were back on level terms five minutes after the restart.

A harmless ball downfield caused problems for Sol Campbell and when the former England man failed to clear it allowed Kuyt to pounce.

The Dutchman strode by the hapless centre-back before seeing a left-footed strike from 12 yards clip off Steven Taylor’s heel and dribble beyond Krul.

Campbell was enduring a torrid time and when he lost flight of Maxi’s centre it presented Fernando Torres with a one-on-one against Krul.

But the Dutch stopper came out on top as his left boot denied the striker from just eight yards.

Carroll could, and perhaps should, have restored Newcastle’s lead when Barton dropped an inch-perfect cross on his forehead on 56 minutes but the striker flashed his effort over Reina’s crossbar from six yards out.

Nile Ranger was introduced for the injured Ameobi just after the hour mark and the substitute’s impact was immediate as he out-muscled Skrtel, only to see a crisp strike from inside the area flash wide.

But Barton nosed Pardew’s men back in front on 80 minutes when he latched onto Carroll’s headed flick before poking beyond the on-rushing Reina.

And Carroll sent the home fans into raptures when he fired into the bottom corner from 25 yards in stoppage time for his tenth of the campaign to continue Liverpool’s miserable run away from Anfield.