An utterly brilliant goal from Luis Suarez prevented Liverpool from losing at home to Newcastle United as they came from a goal down to draw 1-1 in the Premier League.
Yohan Cabaye put Newcastle in front after 43 minutes with a wonderful strike of his own, driving home a fierce effort following a classy bit of play from Hatem Ben Arfa, but Suarez surpassed the Frenchman's effort with 23 minutes remaining.
Jose Enrique picked Suarez out in the box with a 60-yard pass and despite having Fabricio Coloccini at his back, the Uruguayan had the poise and class to control with his shoulder and then knock the ball to the side of Tim Krul and tap home in one devastating movement.
Suarez was intent on wreaking havoc on the Newcastle defence and on a day when Steven Gerrard made his 600th appearance it was the rather more notorious striker who was the centre of attention. Coloccini, mentally broken by his opponent, was even coerced into a horrible challenge on the Liverpool No. 7 that earned him a red card with six minutes remaining.
But even if their winless streak at Anfield extended to 18 Premier League visits, Newcastle clung on for a point that, given the circumstances was welcome indeed. For Liverpool, Suarez's moment of genius only partially obscured the fact that they have now taken only 29 points from 29 matches in 2012, a rather frustrating draw putting them 12th in the table.
Gerrard appeared keen to mark his milestone with a trademark goal and after only three minutes took aim from 25 yards, only to see his vicious drive blocked. Before the half was out, he even attempted to emulate a former team-mate, Xabi Alonso, when trying a shot from behind the half-way line. But unlike Steve Harper in 2006, Krul was not caught out.
It was an impressive start from Liverpool, who were roared on by a home crowd desperate to see their team address a run of form that prior to kick-off had been highlighted by the stark fact that a total of only three home wins in the league in 2012 was the joint-lowest in their history. In 1939 the league was curtailed by war.
Snappy in possession and tenacious in the tackle, Liverpool put Newcastle firmly on the back foot. Predictably, however, they struggled to translate possession into genuine chances. Suarez was their most evident threat, the Uruguay star going close with one superb free kick, testing Krul with a dangerous low effort after being played in by a fine pass from Nuri Sahin and then beating Steven Taylor to a header that flew just wide.
But early momentum dissipated. Though Suso showed admirable ambition with a clever run and shot followed by a spectacular volley, Newcastle began to snuff out the threat of the home side and looked dangerous on the break themselves when the front three of Papiss Cisse, Demba Ba and Hatem Ben Arfa were able to link up.
It was the third of the three, Ben Arfa, who created Newcastle's opener. The France international did superbly well to beat two men in the box before hitting the byline and floating a cross to the back post, where Cabaye was waiting. The midfielder controlled the ball with his first touch and with his second unleashed a ferocious shot from an improbable angle that stand-in keeper Brad Jones failed to deal with.
It was an impressive manner in which to close the first half, but in the opening moments of the second Newcastle's hopes were damaged by the loss of Ba to injury, with Sammy Ameobi on in his place to supply a more raw element to the Newcastle attack.
Newcastle were rendered less effectual just as Suarez decided to step up a level. The striker curled one shot towards the bottom corner, only to be denied by the diving Krul, before feeding Sahin for a shot that crept narrowly wide of the far post.
On 67 minutes he finally made a lasting impact on the game with a goal of the highest quality, his technique in controlling with his shoulder and beating Krul the outstanding moment of the contest. Suarez's goal electrified Liverpool, and he wanted to turn the game decisively. Having set up Shelvey with a brilliant run and pass - the midfielder producing a meek effort when he should have scored - the forward then played in Sterling, who saw his low effort blocked by the sliding Taylor.
Coloccini then saw red for a filthy, late tackle on Suarez as he made no attempt to win the ball, and Liverpool responded by going for the victory, Shelvey wasting further chances and even seeing a header brush against the bar. However, a second was not forthcoming, leaving Liverpool frustrated even as they celebrated Suarez's genius.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Luis Suarez - Liverpool: The striker scored one of the best goals seen so far this season and went close on a number of other occasions. But for Suarez, Liverpool would have lost this contest.
PLAYER RATINGS
LIVERPOOL: Jones 6, Wisdom 5, Skrtel 6, Agger 6, Enrique 6, Gerrard 6, Allen 6, Suso 6, Sahin 7, Sterling 7, Suarez 9. Subs: Shelvey 5, Downing 6.
NEWCASTLE: Krul 6, Anita 6, Taylor 8, Coloccini 5, Santon 6, Perch 6, Gutierrez 5, Cabaye 8, Ben Arfa 7, Cisse 6, Ba 6. Subs: Simpson 6, Ameobi 5, Ferguson 6.
