EMILE HESKEY, the man Middlesbrough tried to sign in January, was on hand to severely dent Newcastle United's chances of playing in the Champions League next season.

In doing so Heskey - who scored the crucial second goal at Anfield yesterday - also hampered Boro's goal of claiming their highest ever Premiership finish.

Manager Steve McClaren, reportedly wanted by England to renew acquaintances with Sven-Goran Eriksson, was thwarted in his attempts to sign the strong striker earlier this year and there is every chance he will try to tempt the former Leicester star again in the summer.

And Heskey's decision to stay at Liverpool proved costly to Boro when he pounced, after Michael Owen had teed him up, to slot past Mark Schwarzer to put the Reds two goals to the good.

The victory, over Newcastle's North-East rivals, and a victory for Aston Villa yesterday over Tottenham, has left the Magpies in sixth-place and in desperate need of maximum points from their last three games.

Boro, still four points adrift of the eighth place they crave with only games against Manchester City and Portsmouth remaining, had gone into half-time level and must have been optimistic about taking something from Anfield.

But failure to convert chances when they came Boro's way - highlighting why McClaren is also interested in Leeds pair Alan Smith and Mark Viduka - eventually ended in a third consecutive defeat.

Gerard Houllier's side turned on the style after half-time, following the introduction of Heskey and Steve Finnan from the bench, and within four minutes had taken the lead.

Midfielder Danny Murphy scored the opening goal from the penalty spot, after Owen had been fouled, before Heskey wrapped things up just four minutes later.

After failing to score in either of their last two home games, Liverpool knew they had to break that duck to reclaim the advantage in the race for fourth.

Their task was made harder by the news that Boro, in the midst of a defensive crisis, were able to name Chris Riggott alongside Ugo Ehiogu in the centre of a back four.

Scans on the ankle injury Riggott sustained in training on Friday came up clear, although McClaren - already without Gareth Southgate, Colin Cooper and Andrew Davies - opted to name 17-year-old Matthew Bates on the bench as cover.

Boro, with only one win at Anfield in 18 games, had to try to improve that drought without the creative invention of Juninho, ruled out with a thigh strain.

And Liverpool set the tone within moments of the kick-off with a series of crunching tackles, mainly from Steven Gerrard, as they charged down every loose ball.

Just 72 seconds had passed when the home side created the first of many chances for both sides in a lively first half.

A long ball forward from John Arne Riise put Harry Kewell in behind the visiting defence. But the Australian forward's powerful left foot drive was expertly turned behind for a corner by the strong hands of fellow countryman Mark Schwarzer.

The same Reds pair combined again shortly after but once again Schwarzer was equal to anything Kewell offered with his shooting.

To Boro's credit, they responded by trying to match Liverpool, now slightly more cautious after Gerrard entered referee Andy D'Urso's notebook for stupidly kicking the ball away, in the determination stakes.

McClaren's men were nearly rewarded for their brave endeavour by grabbing the vital breakthrough with two great chances inside a bright seven minute spell.

Bolo Zenden curled a free-kick just wide of Dudek's left upright from 19 yards before a superb move involving Joseph Job, Gaizka Mendieta and Massimo Maccarone ended with Job's low shot being stopped by the Liverpool keeper's legs.

But while Boro had worked their way firmly into playing their part in an entertaining encounter, they still had to be alert to the attacking prowess of a Michael Owen-led Liverpool.

Owen, despite a season in which many believe he has not reached the heights he is capable, has still averaged more than a goal every two games with 14 in 26 Premiership appearances.

And only the woodwork denied him number 15 when he charged down a Riggott clearance before shooting off the foot of Schwarzer's right post.

Full-back Riise was allowed to adventure forward too easily in the opening period and, after Maccarone had been dispossessed, the flame-haired Norwegian struck a trademark left foot drive marginally wide.

Ten minutes before half-time Liverpool could quite easily have had the lead when Kewell dived to meet Gerrard's pin-point free-kick from the right with his head. Schwarzer was beaten but the linesman raised his flag as Dietmar Hamann was in an offside position.

A sweet right-foot strike from Maccarone caught the Reds off guard but the ball flew into the side netting and that proved, largely, to be the end of Boro as an attacking force.

Houllier, under pressure for a disappointing campaign, introduced Finnan and Heskey for the restart at the expense of Stephane Henchoz and Vladimir Smicer.

Those changes lifted Liverpool and it gave them the encouragement to start the second half with the same purpose they began the first.

This time, though, there was an important difference - they were able to turn pressure into goals.

Owen was twice denied by Schwarzer before the England striker was brought down in the box by Riggott as he lined up to shoot.

Mr D'Urso pointed to the spot and Murphy -- who scored the winning penalty at Manchester United eight days earlier - calmly side-footed beyond Schwarzer's outstretched left hand on 49 minutes.

Then Heskey pounced just four minutes later to slot past the Boro keeper for the second after some neat inter-play with Owen.

After that Liverpool hit cruise control and allowed Boro to push forward more.

But only Szilard Nemeth's long range drive, picked out of the air by Dudek, came close to pulling a goal back for Boro.

Result: Liverpool 2 Middlesbrough 0.

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