article: Another day at Melwood, another awkward conversation with Brendan Rodgers for Raheem Sterling. This time, rather than a chat about a contract spurned it will be a noxious but legal substance once tried and tested by our own Prince Harry that will be under discussion. If Sterling has any sense, he won’t use the distinguished list of those who have previously tried nitrous oxide as an attempt at mitigation. Once again the 20-year-old Liverpool forward has been rather stupid. For Sterling the life lessons are arriving thick and fast. What will perhaps stand rather more impressively in his favour is some of the football Sterling produced in this rather important win for Liverpool. Raheem Sterling wheels away in celebration after scoring Liverpool's opener in the first half at Anfield . LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Mignolet 7; Johnson 6, Lovren 5, Can 6.5, Moreno 6; Henderson 7, Allen 6.5, Lucas 7; Ibe 6 (Borini 58, 6), Coutinho 7.5 , Sterling 7 (Lambert 89). Subs not used: Jones, Toure, Manquillo, Brannagan, Markovic. Goals: Sterling 9, Allen 71. Booked: Johnson, Moreno. NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-4-1-1): Krul 7; Taylor 6, Janmaat 5.5, Williamson 6, Anita 6; Obertan 5.5 (Gutierrez 67, 6), Colback 6.5, Cabella 6, Abeid 6.5 (Armstrong, 75); Sissoko 6; Perez 6.5 (Gouffran 86). Subs not used: Elliot, Sterry, Ameobi, Riviere. Booked: Sissoko. Sent off: Sissoko. Referee: Lee Mason. Man of the Match: Philippe Coutinho. BRENDAN RODGERS: 7. JOHN CARVER: 6. Ratings by Ian Ladyman at Anfield . Raheem Sterling cuts in from the left to score. Click here for more from Match Zone . There was a moment, just before the hour, when Sterling actually contributed one of the misses of the season. It was one of those he would probably have struggled to do again if he tried. Much earlier in the piece, however, when his team were desperate for a good start, Sterling scored the kind of goal that few can score. It is this that motivates Rodgers as he tries to navigate a way through the current difficulties of the contract negotiations. It is this, and other moments like it, that convince managers like Rodgers that players like Sterling are worth the trouble. For be assured, this was an important win for Liverpool and an important performance. Newcastle may be among the Barclays Premier League’s most compliant current opposition but Liverpool’s own football has been patchy recently. They have an FA Cup semi-final on Sunday and needed victory here to bring momentum and to take them to within four points of Manchester City, the team now occupying the final Champions League position. When the stakes are high, then, you need your best players and here, after some modest recent form of his own, Sterling pitched in early and emphatically. Both sets of players stand for a minute's silence to remember the 96 Liverpool fans who died in 1989 . The minute's silence was impeccably observed by both sets of fans before the match . Captain Jordan Henderson supplied the ammunition with a crossfield pass struck arrow straight to his team-mate over 40 yards. Sterling’s first touch was perfect but then we expect that in the Premier League these days. What followed was even better, though, as he eased inside Ryan Taylor and Daryl Janmaat before striking a perfect right-foot shot to Tim Krul’s left with his instep. Sterling was in total control of events from the moment Henderson’s pass arrived and it was terrific to watch. With centre forward Daniel Sturridge injured again, Sterling once again was crucial to his team’s attacking play. This time he was stationed on the left of a front three that featured Jordan Ibe on the right and Philippe Coutinho through the middle. For a while — for about 30 minutes — Liverpool were excellent and Newcastle struggled to cope. Coutinho was his team’s best player, as he was all night, and he could have scored twice while Sterling brought a low save from Krul from an angle, as indeed did left back Alberto Moreno. The key to it was that Liverpool were playing football that was relaxed and for that they owed much to Sterling’s goal. They should have scored at least one more — maybe two — during this period of dominance. Coutinho was a menace while at the base of the midfield formation Lucas Leiva was playing well enough to make Steven Gerrard fret over the team selection when he is freed from suspension at Wembley this weekend. Sterling curls the ball in to the far corner of Tim Krul's net to give Liverpool the lead . Sterling's shot nestles in to the back of the net as a hapless Krul picks himself up from the Anfield turf . Newcastle's defence begin their inquest Lucas runs over to celebrate with the England man . Liverpool players celebrate in unison as they looked to close the gap on Manchester City . When goals don’t arrive, though, things can go wrong and, for 10 minutes either side of half-time, that suddenly looked as though it might happen here. In the 10 minutes before the break Newcastle should have had a penalty when the dreadful Dejan Lovren tripped Ayoze Perez, while the Newcastle forward brought a superb save from Simon Mignolet. Midfielder Mehdi Abeid also threatened twice from 18 yards. Into the second half and, briefly, this surprising pattern continued. Lovren almost disabled his own team-mate Emre Can by standing on his foot and then slashed wildly at a clearance. Mignolet, meanwhile, punched a corner clear under pressure and was happy to see a low drive from Abeid hacked clear by a defender. Dejan Lovren, who was lucky not to give away a penalty, challenges Newcastle forward Ayoze Perez . Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard (centre), suspended for the match, watches on from the stands . Lovren clears the ball with his head as Lucas and Perez also scrap for the ball . Sterling inexplicably skews his shot wide in the second half when it looked easier to score . Sterling can't believe he has missed as Krul gets up to gather the ball for the restart . Sterling shakes hands with manager Brendan Rodgers after he was substituted for Fabio Borini in the second half . At this point the game, despite early indications, was in the balance and it was then that Sterling fluffed his lines when handed the chance to settle it. Happily for him, Joe Allen did manage to convert the vital second goal not long after. Sterling’s miss really was spectacular. Another raking cross from Henderson was miscued by Taylor in front of his own goal and when the ball broke for Sterling on the six-yard line it seemed he couldn’t miss. Remarkably he did and, on another night, Krul may have been tempted to offer him a high five in the tunnel. As it was, Allen’s subsequent goal was timely. Newcastle failed to clear a corner properly with 20 minutes left and when Allen’s weak header came back to him off Taylor the Welshman hooked the loose ball high into the corner of the net. Joe Allen watches as his second-half effort beats Krul to double Liverpool's lead and earn them some breathing space . Allen is mobbed by his team-mates after securing three points for Liverpool that closed the gap on Manchester City . With the result settled there was still time for Newcastle’s Moussa Sissoko to get himself sent off. Riled by a spat with Glen Johnson, Sissoko clattered into Lucas and received a second yellow card. In truth, he was lucky it was not a straight red and, as club captain, he will doubtless face a few harsh words from his manager on Tuesday morning. It appears that Sterling, in that regard, will not be alone. Moussa Sissoko lunges in on Lucas Leiva with an ugly late challenge to earn a second yellow card . Glen Johnson confronts Sissoko after the challenge which many thought should have resulted in a straight red . Sissoko is already on his way as referee Lee Mason shows him a red card .
highlights: Film leaked of Raheem Sterling inhaling nitrous oxide just a day after he was pictured smoking shisha .
  Sterling put Liverpool 1-0 up after just nine minutes at Anfield before missing easy chance in second half .
  Referee Lee Mason missed what pundit Gary Neville described as a 'blatant penalty' for Newcastle's Ayoze Perez .
  Welsh midfielder Joe Allen then scored his first goal at Anfield to put Liverpool 2-0 up after 70 minutes .
  France midfielder Moussa Sissoko sent off late on for two bookable offences .
  Result moves Liverpool up to within four points of Manchester City in fourth and is Newcastle's fifth defeat in a row .
prediction: , 
   Rodgers for Raheem Sterling 
   a 
   and 
   of 
   - 
   - 
   Liverpool 
   his 
   win 
   after 
   Liverpool' s opener in the first half at Anfield . 
   Coutinho 
   Sterling 9, Allen 71 
   Sissoko 
   off 
   . 
   in from the 
   to 
   was a 
   to 
   scored 
   of goal 
  