Liverpool 3 // Newcastle United 0
LIVERPOOL // Liverpool replaced Tottenham in fifth place in the Premier League today, after beating Newcastle United 3-0 with goals from the in-form Maxi Rodriguez, Dirk Kuyt and Luis Suarez at Anfield.
Both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have 55 points but Liverpool, who has played one more game, have a better goal difference. Fifth place secures qualification in next season's Europa League.
Rodriguez scored his fourth goal in two matches with a volley in the 10th minute, helped by a deflection off Danny Simpson, the Newcastle defender.
Liverpool were awarded a penalty in the 59th minute when Suarez went down after a challenge by Mike Williamson. Kuyt stepped up to score his eighth goal in seven Premier League matches.
In the 65th minute Suarez exchanged passes with Kuyt to sidefoot under Tim Krul, the Newcastle goalkeeper.
Birmingham 1 // Wolverhampton Wanderers 1
Elsewhere, 10-man Birmingham City held on for a 1-1 draw and a share of the Premier League points in a closely contested Midlands derby against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Steven Fletcher opened the scoring for Wolves with a seventh-minute penalty at St Andrew's, awarded after Ben Foster, the Birmingham, goalkeeper, brought down Stephen Ward in the area.
Birmingham equalised 20 minutes later through Sebastian Larsson who pounced on a sloppy back header by the Wolves defender Michael Mancienne.
City's hopes of completing the comeback were dented when Craig Gardner was sent off in the 29th minute for a second yellow card for diving.
The point moves Birmingham to 15th in the standings, four points clear of the relegation zone, while Wolves remain 19th and one point behind 17th-placed Blackpool.