Perez the hero as Newcastle defeat Liverpool

Ayoze Perez was Newcastle's match-winner for the second time in a week as the Magpies edged past Liverpool 1-0 to claim a fourth successive victory.

The former Tenerife frontman, who scored the decisive goal at Tottenham last Sunday, stabbed home from close range with 13 minutes remaining to seal a 1-0 victory, the Magpies' third on the trot in the league, a feat they had not achieved since November last year.

It was no more than they deserved after another committed display in front of a largely delighted crowd of 52,166, and they might have won more comfortably had goalkeeper Simon Mignolet not pulled off a fine one-on-one save from substitute Remy Cabella four minutes later.

While manager Alan Pardew was able to celebrate once again, Liverpool counterpart Brendan Rodgers was left to reflect upon another toothless display with a daunting Champions League trip to Real Madrid to come next Tuesday evening.