7mins Roberts shot 1-0

10mins Dunn shot 1-1

13mins Peterson shot 1-2

19mins Aarons shot 2-2

35mins Paez header 2-3

Half time: Reds 3 United 2

85mins Peterson shot 2-4

90+3mins Dunn shot 2-5

Full time: Reds 5 United 2

Victory by the home team at Anfield saw them top of the U21 Premier League on goal difference - registering an emphatic scoreline against a Magpies side languishing at the other end of the table.

However that doesn't tell the full story of an entertaining game in which United gave as good as they got for over an hour, before the Reds rediscovered their goal touch.

Liverpool made a lively start and two chances for Ryan Kent went begging before United took a surprise seventh minute lead through rookie forward Callum Roberts.

Dispossessing Cameron Brannigan over halfway, Roberts advanced and turned inside a defender before beating ex-Magpies U18 loan 'keeper Yusuf Mersin to claim his first U21 goal, a low left footer from 12 yards.

That lead lasted for barely three minutes though, before Gael Bigirimana was robbed just outside his own area by Jack Dunn, who cracked home an equaliser to extend our season-long record of not keeping a league clean sheet.

The Reds were ahead on 13 minutes when Kent outwitted two visiting players before bursting into the box from the right, pinging the ball to the near post for striker Chris Peterson to force past Jak Alnwick from close range.

Back came United though and Bigirimana's lofted pass into the box was controlled expertly on his knee by Rolando Aarons. He waited for a defender to commit himself and then calmly slotted it across Mersin at the Kop End for a goal reminiscent of his coach, Peter Beardsley.

It almost got even better for Aarons three minutes later when a low left wing centre from Callum Williams was spilled by Mersin in his six yard box. However the United winger had his back to play and was unaware of the loose ball in his immediate vicinity.

Roberts then whistled a shot over the bar seconds later, before Aarons popped up on the right and picked out the unmarked Alex Gilliead, who mis-kicked when well placed. 

That trio of misses then became costly with ten minutes of the first half remaining, when Brannigan's corner kick was powerfully headed home from 10 yards by Spaniard Rafael Paez, Alnwick flat-footed and Bigirimana unable to spring sufficiently at the front post to block the effort. 

An eventful opening period then saw Brad Smith denied what looked like an inevitable tap-in when Newcastle defender Jamie Sterry made a timely intervention to whip the ball away off his toes at the expense of a corner.  

The second half proved to be a less frenetic affair, with Liverpool probing forward in search of further goals but failing to carve out any genuine opportunities.

At the other United made only occasional forays upfield, but missed a decent chance to level on 67 minutes after some neat passing led to Michael Richardson arriving in the box but flicking his first time effort just wide.

Brannigan then came close to sealing the win with six minutes of normal time to play, but clipped his shot from the edge of the area off Alnwick's crossbar.

A fourth home goal arrived soon after though, when Brad Smith pulled the ball back from the left hand byline for Peterson to hammer home his second of the evening.

United were then denied their third goal of the game as the clock ticked round to the 90 minute mark, Richardson releasing Roberts down the right to run into the box and curl his shot off the far post - the flag going up when Jamie Sterry touched home the rebound.

Added time then saw Liverpool score a replica of their fourth goal, Smith this time pulling a pass back for Dunn to claim a second goal via a post.

A fourth meeting at different levels this season between the two side produced seven goals, after the seniors drew 2-2 at SJP and the U18s shared six goals on Tyneside before Liverpool won 4-1 at Kirkby. Don't expect a 0-0 draw here in May when the first teams meet again...

PS: There's no threat of relegation for United's U21s, but they will now almost certainly finish in the bottom 11 of the table and find themselves in the lower of two separate divisions next season. 

Thanks to GW