Newcastle 1-0 Liverpool: Ayoze Perez pounces on Alberto Moreno's howler to help Alan Pardew's men to third straight win

There was a punch of the air, a handshake for Brendan Rodgers and some applause for the fans in the Main Stand before Alan Pardew beat a hasty retreat down the tunnel.

If Newcastle’s manager had hung around after his team had just secured their fourth consecutive victory in all competitions, he would have seen loud and boisterous evidence that the tide is turning back in his favour. A big week for Pardew could not have ended any better, as Liverpool were beaten 1-0.

In the stands before kick-off, a supporter dressed as skeleton walked around with a placard proclaiming ‘Pardew – Back from the dead’ and there is little doubt he has the Tyneside public on side again after substitute Ayoze Perez settled a scrappy contest in the 75th minute.

Ayoze Perez shows a poacher's instinct to prod past Simon Mignolet to punish Alberto Moreno's (right) dithering in the penalty area

Newcastle celebrate after Ayoze's goal inflicted Liverpool's fourth Premier League defeat in ten games - they lost six last season

Remy Cabella hops on Ayoze's back in front of the adoring fans as Newcastle take the lead against a lethargic Liverpool

Daryl Janmaat showed Mario Balotelli no mercy with this eye-watering tackle which resulted in a yellow card for the Dutchman

Janmaat looks unrepentent as Balotelli flips in the air and hits the ground with a crunch after the Toon man's strong challenge

Balotelli winces in agony after being knocked for six. The incident seemed to sum up another frustrating afternoon for the Italian striker

MATCH FACTS BY CRAIG HOPE

Newcastle: Krul 6.5, Janmaat 7.5, Steven Taylor 7.5, Coloccini 7, Dummett 7, Abeid 6.5, Colback 6.5, Obertan 6 (Aarons 27, 6), Sissoko 8.5, Ameobi 6 (Cabella 66, 6.5), Cisse 5.5 (Perez 46, 7). Subs not used: Ryan Taylor, Gouffran, Haidara, Elliot.

Booked: Taylor, Sissoko, Janmaat, Coback.

Goal: Ayoze 73.

Liverpool: Mignolet 5, Johnson 5.5, Skrtel 6, Lovren 5.5, Moreno 5, Sterling 5, Allen 5 (Borini 66, 6), Gerrard 6, Henderson 5.5, Coutinho 6 (Lambert 80), Balotelli 5.5. Subs not used: Brad Jones, Toure, Manquillo, Lallana, Can.

Booked: Skrtel, Henderson, Lovren.

Man of the match: Sissoko.

Attendance: 52,166.

Referee: Andre Marriner.

For Brendan Rodgers, however, the problems continue. Liverpool’s inability to defend is costing them dearly and this was not the kind of performance he would have been wanting or expecting ahead of Tuesday’s daunting Champions League trip to Real Madrid.

This is the highest scoring contest in the history of the Barclays Premier League but you would never have guessed that following a turgid opening 45 minutes. A spark was missing from both sides and their respective movement was, at best, pedestrian.

On the touchline, in their technical areas, Alan Pardew and Brendan Rodgers fidgeted in frustration as moves either broke down following sloppy passes or lacked the wit to cause problems. Of the two, Rodgers was most unhappy, turning to his assistant regularly to express his impatience.

Rodgers was almost tearing his hair out in the 37th minute when Newcastle came closest to opening the scoring. Had they done so, it would again have been down to defensive deficiencies, as Simon Mignolet came for a corner and got nowhere near it, presenting a chance to Papiss Cisse.

Liverpool had a reprieve, though, as Glen Johnson was in the right place to cover Mignolet and headed Cisse’s tame shot off the line and away from danger. Aside from a couple of half-hearted penalty shouts, that was as good as it got for Newcastle before the break.

The visitors, meanwhile, maybe should have gone in with a lead. In the 40th minute, a typically precise corner from Steven Gerrard picked out Martin Skrtel but, having escaped Steven Taylor’s attentions, he planted his header the wrong side of the post.

An advantaged at that stage would not have been merited but, belatedly, Liverpool emerged with more intent after the re-start and twice in the opening five minutes, Mario Balotelli made Tim Krul work, first with a free-kick, then with a curling shot.

Brendan Rodgers: Moussa Sissoko should have been sent off

Moussa Sissoko goes down in the box under a challenge from Joe Allen, but referee Andre Marriner waved away penalty appeals

Sissoko goes to ground after Allen's challenge, but replays showed that the tackle was a fair one and Marriner's decision was correct

Sissoko lies floored in the area as team-mate Gabriel Obertan appeals in vain in front of the baying home fans

Balotelli was once again a peripheral figure, with the £16million man flattering to deceive on Tyneside

Newcastle's Papiss Cisse wastes a free kick in a promising position by blasting it over just before the break

Paul Dummett (right) keeps a watchful distance from Liverpool's Raheem Sterling as the tricky winger attempts to keep possession

Alberto Moreno (right) tussles with Newcastle's Sammy Ameobi as the Toon man skips down the right

Obertan (left) skips Dejan Lovren's tackle, but the Frenchman reared up after appearing to suffer a hamstring injury

Lovren stands over a prostrate Obertan after the Newcastle man suffered a freak injury on the right wing

Obertan was taken off on a stretcher in the 25th minute with his injury causing an early headache for boss Alan Pardew

Balotelli is an easy target for critics but, in his defence, he had been given no service in the first half and his impatience was clear to see when he exchanged words with Philippe Coutinho after another pass in his direction went askew.

Once they started getting him involved, Liverpool looked more efficient and threatening but, as has been the case so often this season, they could not sustain their good play for a prolonged spell and when they began to lose direction, Newcastle sensed an opportunity.

With the home crowd turning up the noise, Newcastle began to press and in the 71st minute, their reward arrived. At the heart of everything was the outstanding Sissoko, who drove into Liverpool’s area, spreading panic on the way.