NEWCASTLE UNITED battled back from two goals down to claim a point in the fight to stay in the Premier League as Rafael Benitez was allowed to savour at least a point on his return to Anfield.

Just as Sunderland did earlier this year against his former club Liverpool, the Magpies found themselves a couple of goals behind against a team intent on closing the gap on the top four.

Daniel Sturridge drilled in the first inside two minutes and Adam Lallana curled in a brilliant second after half an hour to put the Reds on course for three points.

But Newcastle, who have not won at Liverpool in the league in 22 years, were a different team in the second half and showed plenty of character to claim a point.

Senegalese striker Papiss Cisse headed Newcastle back into the game just minutes after half-time and Jack Colback, more than a year since his last goal, struck the equaliser in the 66th minute.

The result leaves Newcastle – who have collected five points from their last three unbeaten games - in the bottom three ahead of next Saturday’s crucial visit of Crystal Palace to St James’ Park; they are a point from fourth from bottom Norwich.

Sunderland (level on points with the men from Tyneside) can climb out of the relegation zone by winning one of two games in hand against Arsenal on Sunday.

Benitez, back at the club he led to Champions League glory in 2005, might have been pleased with the warm reception from the Kop in the opening exchanges, but any pleasure he may have taken from that soon disappeared by Newcastle’s start.

Liverpool’s first attack ended in the net. Alberto Moreno’s ball into the forward line was chested under control by Sturridge. The England striker was allowed to turn and pick out the bottom left corner of Karl Darlow’s goal.

It was a frustrating start for a Newcastle side, unchanged, looking to build on the four points collected from games with Swansea and Manchester City inside the previous eight days; and the red shirts continued to probe after that.

Newcastle struggled to gain a foothold on things and former Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was largely a bystander, so it was no surprise when the second goal arrived on the half hour.

Moreno supplied the pass once more, this time Lallana controlled on the deck. The England winger then showed tremendous technique to curl a left-foot shot into the top right corner of Darlow’s net.

There were a couple of glimpses of goal for Newcastle before the break, but Papiss Cisse was in an offside position when he headed Vurnon Anita’s cross inches wide; while Anita, who scored against City, failed to hit the target when he was unmarked at the back post.

The travelling supporters had chanted, at times, for the introduction of Aleksandar Mitrovic in the first half and it was mildly surprising when it was Ayoze Perez who made way for Georginio Wijanldum at the break.

But that change from Benitez had the desired effect. Cisse, making the most of some hesitancy at the back post, was on hand to nod down and in Anita’s delivery four minutes after the restart.

That provided Newcastle with the lift required and they kept plugging away, even if neither side’s goalkeeper was seriously tested until the equaliser did arrive.

And with 24 minutes remaining the former Sunderland man Colback, lurking outside of the area, was on hand to drive at goal and it took a deflection off Dejan Lovren so that Mignolet’s chances of saving it were weakened.

There were chances at both ends, but neither side could find a breakthrough but after the start this is certainly a bonus point in the fight against relegation for Newcastle.

LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Mignolet; Randall (Coutinho 71), Toure, Lovren, Moreno; Stewart, Allen (Lucas 71); Milner, Lallana (Ojo 83), Firmino; Sturridge. Subs: Ward (gk), Skrtel, Smith, Ibe.

Newcastle: Darlow; Anita, Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett; Tiote (Shelvey 83), Colback; Townsend, Perez (Wijnaldum 46), Sissoko; Cisse (Mitrovic 75). Subs: Woodman (gk), Mbabu, Aarons, de Jong.