London  - Liverpool hammered Newcastle 5-1 on Sunday to retain their lead at the top of the Premier League.

The decision of their manager Rafa Benitez - back in the stands after treatment for kidney stones - to leave out forward Robbie Keane despite his two goals against Bolton on Friday caused surprise, but Liverpool produced their most convincing performance of the season.

In that they were aided by a miserable performance from Newcastle, who suffered a first home defeat under Joe Kinnear.

Only the brilliance of Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given kept the score down, but Steven Gerrard, twice, Sami Hyypia, Ryan Babel and Xabi Alonso all - eventually - managed to beat him.

The story of the first half in particular was one of relentless Liverpool pressure, as they racked up 10 chances within the first 20 minutes.

Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given was in sensational form, making two fine blocks from Gerrard, and another from Dirk Kuyt.

A flicked right-arm from Given then kept out a header from Lucas, who moments earlier had missed his kick when he seemed to have a tap in from two yards, seconds after Kuyt had fluffed a similar opportunity.

Charles N'Zogbia cleared a Hyypia header off the line, but the opening goal did finally arrived in the 31st minute.

Jose Enrique lost Yossi Benayoun, and when the winger cut the ball back, Gerrard sidefooted in off the inside of the post.

Five minutes later, Hyypia outjumped Fabricio Coloccini to head Gerrard's corner past Given for his first goal of the year.

Only a combination of Given and N'Zogbia on the line denied the big Finn a second but, astonishingly, in the first-half injury time, Newcastle pulled one back as David Edgar glanced in a left-wing corner.

Any thought that Newcastle might be about to mount an improbable fightback disappeared five minutes into the second half, as Lucas got to another corner and Babel poked in after Given had saved.

Gerrard dinked a delightful fourth from Lucas's superb through-ball midway through the second half.

The fifth came from the penalty spot, Alonso firing in after David Ngog had been tripped by Edgar. dpa