HE may have spent much of the last fortnight in agony, but Rafael Benitez enjoyed his most comfortable afternoon of the season at St James’ Park yesterday.
The Spaniard could even find time midway through the second half to pose for a photograph with one ardent admirer in the directors’ box.
It was an indication of his team’s dominance as Liverpool ensured they ended the year as Premier League leaders with one of the most impressive displays of Benitez’s tenure.
Marshalled by the magnificent Steven Gerrard, the visitors ruthlessly destroyed an injury-hampered Newcastle United to issue a significant statement of title-winning intent.
Gerrard scored twice and assisted strikes from Sami Hyypia and Ryan Babel with Xabi Alonso also finding the net from the spot, goals that rendered David Edgar’s header on the stroke of half-time mere consolation.
That Shay Given was by some distance the home team’s man of the match spoke volumes. But for the Newcastle goalkeeper, Liverpool side would surely have racked up a cricket score.
And all this with Fernando Torres still injured and Robbie Keane kept on the substitutes’ bench.
After failing to make numerical advantage count against Arsenal last week, Liverpool were accused in some quarters of not being adventurous enough and lacking the belief they can win the title.
Such critics have been silenced over the past few days. The signs were there during the Boxing Day victory over Bolton Wanderers that Liverpool were clicking ominously into gear, a notion reinforced by this latest demolition job.
A biggest away league win in four years provided a welcome boost to Liverpool’s goal difference, a statistic that may ultimately prove decisive with Chelsea falling three points adrift when held at Fulham later in the day.
And what a display from Gerrard. Even by his own lofty standards, this was something special.
Revelling in the space afforded to him by the Newcastle midfield, the Liverpool skipper’s influence was such that it earned applause from all round St James’ Park on his substitution 20 minutes from time.
But Gerrard wasn’t the only Liverpool player to impress. Hyypia, making his 450th start for the club, was a constant threat at set-pieces, the improving Lucas caught the eye in midfield while Dirk Kuyt, on his 100th Liverpool start, put in an unstinting worker as the sole striker.
With Alonso joining Keane and Albert Riera in being rested after Boxing Day duty, Lucas was paired with Javier Mascherano in central midfield for the first time since the Anfield visit of Fulham last month.
On that afternoon, a frustrating goalless draw brought into question Liverpool’s creativity without Alonso pulling the strings, but there were no such qualms yesterday.
The utilisation of Lucas has become a bone of contention among the Liverpool support, but the Brazilian has grown in confidence in recent weeks and on this showing Benitez’s faith is not misplaced.
Only the brilliance of Given denied Lucas a richly-deserved goal, but the midfielder was not alone in being thwarted by the goalkeeper, particularly during an embarrassingly one-sided first half.
