Newcastle crush Sunderland, Liverpool out of relegation zone

LONDON - Kevin Nolan scored a hat-trick as Newcastle United hammered Sunderland 5-1 while Liverpool moved out of the relegation zone by beating Bolton in the English Premier League Sunday.

Two goals from Nolan and a Shola Ameobi penalty had Newcastle 3-0 up by half-time of the Premier League match, and any slender chance of a comeback was dashed when Titus Bramble was sent off eight minutes into the second half.

Ameobi added his second, his sixth in Tyne-Wear derbies, with 20 minutes remaining before Nolan completed his hat-trick, the first in the fixture since Peter Beardsley’s 25 years ago.

“Obviously it is fantastic,” Nolan said. “We knew it would be tough - and I think it was, I think we got lucky with a couple of goals.

“We are delighted, we have worked so hard this week and it has paid off today.”

He also paid tribute to manager Chris Hughton who, bizarrely, has been under pressure in recent weeks.

“I am delighted for the fans and delighted for Chris after what he was put through this week,” he said.

In a ferocious start, Sunderland began promisingly as Danny Wellbeck had an effort deflected over and Bramble headed just wide from an early corner.

But as the half wore on, Newcastle came increasingly to apply pressure. Andy Carroll’s aerial presence caused problems and Sunderland struggled to break out of their own half.

Carroll was denied by an excellent save from Simon Mignolet as he met a left-wing corner unmarked at the back post, and the keeper then got down well to his left to parry a Joey Barton drive.

From the resulting corner, though, Carroll won a knockdown and Nolan hooked the ball over his head and into the roof of the net to give Newcastle a 26th-minute lead.

Eight minutes later he added a second, Barton sending an acrobatic volley across the face of goal where, as Michael Turner was drawn to the offside Ameobi, Nolan was left unmarked to slot past Mignolet.

Ameobi added the third in first-half injury-time from the penalty spot after Onuoha had tripped Jonas Guttierez.

Bramble was sent off eight minutes into the second half for a professional foul on Carroll, and Ameobi added his second after 70 minutes, following in after Carroll had headed against the bar.

The fifth came five minutes later, Ameobi flicking on a corner for Nolan to add his third. Darren Bent volleyed Sunderland’s goal in injury-time.

“We were beaten well and truly,” said Sunderland manager Steve Bruce. “We were nave and did not handle the occasion at all.

“I know it will take a lot to win the fans back over. Weve let

ourselves down and it couldnt have happened at a worse place.”

Liverpool were far form their best, but did enough to win 1-0 at

Bolton Wanderers.

Maxi Rodriguez got the only goal of the game after 86 minutes, seizing on a backheel from Fernando Torres.

Liverpool, though, lost Joe Cole to a hamstring injury midway through the second half.

In the day’s noon kick-off, Aston Villa drew 0-0 with Birmingham City in a drab second city derby.

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish felt his side should have had a penalty for a handball by Nigel Reo-Coker in the first half.

“He moved his arm,” he said. It is human instinct to move the arm. But we’ve not had much luck with penalties for a couple of years and it was no surprise not to see it given.”

He also suggested Reo-Coker could have been sent off for a second-half clash with Craig Gardner.

“Nigel had a lash out and some referees might have interpreted that differently.”