NEWCASTLE (England): Ayoze Perez came on at half-time to score the winner for the second straight week as Newcastle United, who made such a poor start to the season, won for the fourth match running when they beat a lacklustre Liverpool 1-0 in the Premier League on Saturday.

Spaniard Perez, who replaced the injured Papiss Cisse, smashed home from close range at St James’ Park after after a blunder by defender Alberto Moreno 17 minutes from time.

Perez also scored the winner when Newcastle won 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur last week and his goal on Saturday was the highlight of an otherwise drab, low key match that only came to life in the closing stages.

Newcastle failed to win any of their first seven league matches, but this was their third on the trot, after wins over Leicester and Tottenham, and followed their midweek League Cup win at Manchester City.

Newcastle, who were in the bottom three two weeks ago, rose to ninth on 13 points.

Liverpool, for whom striker Mario Balotelli endured another frustrating afternoon, remained seventh, just one point ahead of the Magpies and nine points behind leaders Chelsea having played a game more.

Brendan Rodgers’ side now face a daunting trip to European champions Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, before hosting Chelsea in the league next weekend.

Newcastle lost Gabriel Obertan to a thigh injury in the 25th minute, but they went close to opening the scoring on 37 minutes when Glen Johnson cleared Cisse’s shot off the line after Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet had failed to claim a corner.

Three minutes later, Martin Skrtel sent a free header wide from Steven Gerrard’s corner in Liverpool’s only key chance in a subdued performance.

Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul produced a sharp one-handed save to thwart Coutinho just before the hour, but it was Newcastle who broke the deadlock.

Moussa Sissoko broke into Liverpool’s penalty area in the 73rd and tried to play in Remy Cabella. Moreno intercepted the cross but was unable to clear, and Perez lashed the ball in from 10 metres.

Cabella saw an attempt to inflate the hosts’ lead thwarted by Mignolet after a one-two with Perez, but Alan Pardew’s men held out regardless.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd , 2014