By Matt Jones
December 27 2005

Toon boss Graeme Souness and Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez comment on yesterday's match. The Magpies' boss hailed his former side as "magnificent" while Benitez was left satisfied by his sides performance. GRAEME SOUNESS: "In the first half Liverpool were magnificent and we were poor. They had some outstanding performers especially the two in central midfield of Alonso and Gerrard.

"We were totally overran in the first half and I have no complaints about the result. In the second half we started to chip away without creating and we didn't get any service to Michael Owen which was disappointing."

RAFAEL BENITEZ: "We did a sound job at the back, Sami Hyypia and Jamie Carragher were excellent and they did not allow Shearer or Owen any chances.

"We controlled their strikers and did a very good job against them. We stopped them playing in midfield and if the ball does not reach the strikers then they will find it difficult to score.

"We worked hard in defence, we did not give them any chances. Michael is a great player but we stopped the ball getting to him.

"They could not play it long because we were always aware and they could not play in midfield because we closed down the space and had plenty of people in that area.

"We gave them hardly any opportunities. We know he is a dangerous player but we were able to control him."