JUST when John Carver must have sensed Newcastle United’s fortunes might just improve at Anfield, things got a lot worse for the head coach still harbouring ambitions of staying in the job full-time.

Liverpool, who revived hopes of finishing in a Champions League spot, had actually looked in danger of surrendering a ninth-minute lead given to them by Raheem Sterling’s brilliance either side of half-time.

Spanish striker Ayoze Perez should have been awarded a penalty when Dejan Lovren clumsily brought him down in the area and that could have changed everything.

But with 20 minutes remaining Joe Allen hammered home Liverpool’s second and then Carver’s stand-in skipper Moussa Sissoko picked up a second yellow card for a horrible studs-first challenge on Brazilian midfielder Lucas ten minutes later.

While Liverpool closed the gap to fourth-placed Manchester City to four points, Newcastle slipped to a fifth successive defeat and Sissoko’s actions now means Carver will be without yet another key performer when Tottenham head for St James’ Park on Sunday.

With sections of fans planning a boycott of the Spurs game, Carver could have done with some positivity at the end of a trip to Merseyside. Instead the Magpies are still searching for their first win there in the Premier League since 1994. He adjusted things to try to spring a surprise. Despite suggesting that Jonas Gutierrez was one of the few players to come out of the Wear-Tyne derby with any credit, Carver strangely named the Argentine on the bench.

Gutierrez, who had to start all of the remaining seven matches to trigger a new contract clause, was one of three changes, which also saw Sammy Ameobi and Yoan Gouffran make way.

Carver was in desperate need of a lift, both for himself and the team. Only Queens Park Rangers have collected less points since the turn of the year, which doesn’t reflect well given Alan Pardew’s final match in charge arrived in late December.

But Carver has had a poor hand to play with given the shortage of defenders to call on, hence the selection of teenager Jamie Sterry on the bench for the first time; so the sight of Liverpool lining up without an out-and-out striker again must have heartened him.

Any early hope suffered a huge blow, though, when Sterling opened the scoring with just nine minutes gone. Newcastle had moved forward a couple of times beforehand, but Liverpool showed exactly how to attack even without an operating No 9.

Jordan Henderson, the former Sunderland midfielder, played an exceptional crossfield pass in to the Liverpool area. Sterling brought it under control, worked his way on to his right foot before brilliantly curling beyond Tim Krul’s outstretched left hand.

After that Newcastle struggled to deal with the running and probing of the red shirts. Phillipe Coutinho and Sterling popped up in a variety of areas to worry Newcastle’s makeshift defence and Krul had to be alert to stop both from adding to the lead with chances.

There was also a stronger save from the Dutchman when Allen was picked out running behind the defence, which was the sort of move which became a regular occurrence in the first half hour. Newcastle full-back Ryan Taylor and the defender closest to him, Daryl Janmaat, were regularly exposed.

Ironically it was Janmaat, who would prefer to be running down the flanks than through the middle, sparked a rare chance for Newcastle when he fed Gabriel Obertan, back in the side, down the line. The Frenchman’s delivery was half cleared and Mehdi Abeid’s volley was straight at goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

When Newcastle did attack, normally down the right through Obertan, Liverpool’s defence did look suspect and capable of conceding. There had already been danger signs when somehow referee Lee Mason failed to award a clear penalty the visitors’ way.

When Perez twisted his way through the Liverpool defence, Lovren’s ridiculous attempt at a tackle was nowhere near the ball and the Spanish striker went to ground. Appeals were low-key, but it was a clear spot-kick and Newcastle had every right to feel hard done by.

That offered encouragement to Newcastle, who ended the first half the stronger and the Kop were relieved to hear the whistle when Abeid curled an effort from ten yards over Mignolet’s crossbar. The sight of Carver applauding his players from the touchline continued after the restart too.

Liverpool’s nerves grew. Glen Johnson and Lovren were particularly culpable of gifting Newcastle possession and Mignolet had to be alert on a couple of occasions to prevent an equaliser; with Perez the most dangerous.

Yet Liverpool still should have grabbed a second earlier than they did. When Henderson and Jordan Ibe counter-attacked down the right, the former’s cross was woefully dealt with by Taylor. The ball dropped invitingly for Sterling, who somehow side-footed wide from eight yards with just Krul to beat.

That sparked Liverpool back in to life and the extra cushion did arrive shortly after. After a Henderson corner was cleared, Can was well placed to return the ball back in to the box where Allen was on hand to power inside Krul’s right-hand post. And Newcastle’s misery was compounded when Sissoko, booked just two minutes earlier for a spat with Johnson, stupidly planted his studs on Lucas’ shin to earn a second caution and a suspension.

That left Newcastle’s 800-strong support in the away end again voicing their concerns about the direction of the club ahead of a date with Tottenham which has grown in significance again.