JOHH ARNE RIISE and Danny Murphy condemned Newcastle to their first home defeat of the season in a fixture from which they rarely profit.

United have now won only two of their 15 Premiership encounters with Liverpool, and midfielder Murphy sealed the outcome of this one when he struck a superb breakaway goal four minutes from time.

The England squad man, a Newcastle target in his formative days with Crewe Alexandra, took a return ball from Robbie Fowler to run clear and fire beyond keeper Shay Given for his first goal this term.

Newcastle, who surrendered their unbeaten record this season when they lost 3-0 at West Ham a week earlier, were soon reeling.

It was Norwegian midfielder Riise's third goal since his £4m move from Monaco, on a day when Fowler and Emile Heskey, England's likely strike partnership for Saturday's World Cup qualifying decider against Greece in the absence of injured clubmate Michael Owen, scarcely threatened the Newcastle defence.

Riise gave the Reds the perfect start in only the third minute.

Reliability has been a byword for Robert Lee's performances in the Newcastle midfield this season, but the 35-year-old paid dearly for a momentary aberration when he played a loose ball across his own penalty area and Riise raced in to slip it through the legs of Andy Griffin and lash a ferocious left-footed finish into the roof of the net.

Former Newcastle midfielder Dietmar Hamann, who moved to Anfield two years ago claiming the Magpies lacked ambition, was a surprise absentee from the Liverpool line-up after picking up an injury in training.

Manager Gerard Houllier, already without the suspended Steven Gerrard, drafted in Gary McAllister and Igor Biscan and opted for Murphy in his engine room rather than ex-Middlesbrough schemer Nick Barmby, while Fowler was preferred in attack to Jari Litmanen, scorer of the only goal in last week's Champions' League victory over Dynamo Kiev.

Craig Bellamy's pace and awareness offered unchanged Newcastle their best hope of recovering the early deficit.

The Welsh international outstripped Liverpool skipper Sami Hyypia in a goal-bound chase for possession, but let himself down by tugging at the defender's shirt.

Bellamy was then on the end of Robbie Elliott's low centre, cleverly dummied by Alan Shearer, but keeper Jerzy Dudek had little trouble dealing with the headed finish.

Riise, however, was proving an equal thorn in the side of the Newcastle defence and when he released Fowler with a slide-rule pass, Given was forced to make a brave block at the England striker's feet.

Newcastle centre-back Andy O'Brien flashed a header just wide from Nolberto Solano's driven, right-wing free-kick, before Liverpool's Jamie Carragher was booked in the 29th minute for a crude challenge on Laurent Robert on the opposite flank.

Genuine openings were in scarce supply in a low-key first half.

Robert spotted Clarence Acuna's run from midfield, but when the Frenchman delivered the ball to the near post, the Chilean couldn't quite connect.

Newcastle were almost caught cold again at the start of the second period when right-back Griffin lost possession to Heskey, who threaded the ball through for strike partner Fowler to beat Given inside the far post, but an offside flag came as a welcome sight to the home side.

Murphy then set off a mazy right-wing break before hitting a cross-shot which flew agonisingly wide of Given's far upright.

But Bellamy's speed was still causing uncertainty in Liverpool's backline and Stephane Henchoz picked up a yellow card for halting the little striker's progress down the left.

Gary Speed made his first appearance after five weeks out with a recurrence of a hamstring problem, when he took over from Acuna in the 57th minute, as Newcastle boss Bobby Robson looked to add more of an attacking edge to his side.

Robert, having one of his quieter games, conjured a high-quality cross five minutes later but Elliott's header was directed at Dudek who took the ball cleanly.

Robson made another switch in the 74th minute, throwing on Shola Ameobi for an out-of-sorts Solano, and the England Under-21 striker had immediate impact, releasing Bellamy whose dangerous low pull-back was hacked clear by the harassed Hyypia.

Murphy added a booking to his goal for a foul on Elliott, and Bellamy's frustration got the better of him in injury time when he was cautioned for his challenge on Hyypia.