Full-time: Newcastle United 1 Liverpool 0

NEWCASTLE UNITED’S renaissance continued this afternoon as they made it three Premier League wins in a row with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Liverpool.

Ayoze Perez’s 73rd-minute strike settled a tight affair, with the Spaniard, who was a half-time replacement for Papiss Cisse, drilling home from close range to add a second Magpies goal to the successful effort he produced at Tottenham last weekend.

Newcastle were the better side for the majority of the game, and while they were unable to carve out a succession of chances, Alan Pardew’s decision to stick with a number of the club’s emerging young players was rewarded.

Mehdi Abeid outperformed Steven Gerrard at the heart of midfield, with Sammy Ameobi and substitute Rolando Aarons also producing moments of impressive attacking play.

Liverpool were bitterly disappointing throughout, with Mario Balotelli anonymous for long periods and Raheem Sterling failing to make any kind of an impact against the impressive Paul Dummett.

Pardew made five changes to the side that had claimed a shock Capital One Cup win at Manchester City three days earlier, but the Newcastle boss still displayed faith in some of the key players to have performed so well at the Etihad.

Abeid retained his place at the heart of midfield in place of injured duo Cheick Tiote and Vurnon Anita, while Ameobi started on the left of midfield after impressing as a substitute at both City and Tottenham last weekend.

Neither player looked out of place as Newcastle started reasonably brightly, although it quickly became apparent that neither side would be creating a host of chances in a scrappy affair.

Gabriel Obertan touched Dummett’s fourth-minute chance into Cisse’s path, but the striker’s shot was deflected over the crossbar.

Moussa Sissoko was claiming for a ninth-minute penalty after going down under the challenge of Joe Allen in the box, but referee Andre Marriner remained unmoved and it would be 35th minute before Newcastle created another opportunity.

By that stage, they had lost the services of Obertan, who went down clutching his thigh as he sprinted down the right-hand touchline. The Frenchman required the aid of a stretcher to make it to the dressing room, and having returned from a lengthy exile to make a significant impact in the last few weeks, his latest injury setback represents particularly rotten luck.

At least Newcastle had Aarons on the bench to replace him, and within seven minutes of his introduction, the 18-year-old was sprinting 40 yards to earn a free-kick on the edge of the area. The set-piece was rolled to Abeid, but his low drive was deflected well wide.

Newcastle earned six corners in the first half, and from the fifth, they finally recorded their first effort on target. Colback’s delivery reached Cisse at the back post, but while the striker’s shot was on target, Glen Johnson produced a smart diving header to clear from the goalline.

Liverpool only won one first-half corner, but it produced the best chance of the first half five minutes before the break. Martin Skrtel evaded his marker to meet Steven Gerrard’s delivery eight yards out, but his powerful header flew wide of the target.

Perez replaced Cisse at the interval, but it was Liverpool that started the second half much the brighter, with the previously-anonymous Balotelli twice testing Tim Krul with efforts from outside the area.

Balotelli quickly faded back into obscurity however, with Brendan Rodgers having to turn to former Sunderland striker Fabio Borini midway through the second half in an attempt to enhance his side’s attacking threat.

Remy Cabella came on for Newcastle at the same time, and after Dummett whistled a long-range strike narrowly over the crossbar, the hosts finally made a breakthrough with 17 minutes left.

Dummett pulled the ball for Sissoko, and while the midfielder’s square ball across the box looked to have been misplaced, Alberto Moreno made a complete hash of attempting to control it.

The ball broke kindly for Perez, and the Spaniard gleefully smashed it home from close range to claim his second goal in the space of six days.

Suddenly, Newcastle were buoyant, and they came close to doubling their lead within a couple of minutes. Cabella exchanged passes with Perez as the pair broke rapidly downfield, but Simon Mignolet deflected his low shot wide of the target with his feet.

Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Krul; Janmaat, Coloccini, S Taylor, Dummett; Colback, Abeid; Obertan (Aarons 27), Sissoko, Ameobi (Cabella 66); Cisse (Perez 46).

Subs (not used): Elliot (gk), Haidara, R Taylor, Gouffran.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Mignolet; Johnson, Lovren, Skrtel, Moreno; Gerrard, Allen (Borini 66); Sterling, Coutinho (Lambert 80), Henderson, Balotelli.

Subs (not used): Jones (gk), Toure, Manquillo, Can, Lallana.