The shadow of the Luis Suarez scandal that has hung over Liverpool was swept away by a magnificent on-field display from the Merseysiders.
A stunning start from Brendan Rodgers' side produced goals from Daniel Agger and Jordan Henderson inside the first 18 minutes as woeful Newcastle were plunged deeper into relegation trouble.
Two more second-half strikes from Suarez stand-in Daniel Sturridge, a first Liverpool goal from substitute Fabio Borini and a second for Henderson completed the rout.
To add to the Geordie woes they had Mathieu Debuchy sent off late on for two yellow cards.
Under-fire Toon boss Alan Pardew said: "It was an awful performance. We are going to have to do something about that for next week. Today's performance was even worse than the Sunderland game."
Fabricio Coloccini was missing again and Pardew added: "Our skipper is going to have to come back and give us some experience and leadership."
The Reds may have lost South American talisman Suarez for 10 games but they have unearthed another gem from that continent in 20-year-old Brazilian Philippe Coutinho.
He, along with Sturridge and Steven Gerrard, was responsible for this victory.
The red shirts seemed to be first to every ball and it was no suprise when Agger headed them ahead on three minutes.
A simple cross from Stewart Downing caught out the lumbering home defence and the unmarked Agger floated his header over Rob Elliot for his third goal of the season.
Newcastle's world fell apart on 17 minutes when former Sunderland ace Henderson fired Liverpool into a 2-0 lead.
This time the 20-year-old Coutinho and Sturridge combined before the striker rolled the ball into the path of Henderson. He was left with the routine task of side-footing the ball into an empty net.
Liverpool may have endured a traumatic week in the spotlight over the Suarez biting scandal but there was no sign of any lack of belief.
Coutinho was a revelation in midfield with a touch and vision belying his tender years.
And Sturridge's intelligent, roving front play ensured that he may prove an adequate replacement while Suarez serves his suspension.
He was a constant threat to the ramshackle Newcastle defence that was offered too little protection by holding midfielders James Perch and Cheick Tiote.
Apart from Perch missing a sitter on 36 minutes, when he inexplicably headed wide from Massadio Haidara's clever left-wing cross, Newcastle produced little good football of note.
Pardew threw on French duo Ben Arfa and Yoan Gouffran for Jonas Guiterrez and Perch for the second period - and for the first nine minutes it re-ignited the sell-out crowd.
But when Coutinho robbed Ben Arfa on the halfway line on 54 minutes, it proved to be the key moment of the game.
The Brazilian raced 30 yards before slipping in a great pass for Sturridge to smash home.
St. James' was silent again.
That signalled the rush to the exits by home fans and one disillusioned supporter ran up to the home technical area and flung his black and white scarf towards Pardew.
Sturridge fired home No.4 after Henderson intelligently flicked on a wonderful diagonal pass from Gerrard.
Newcastle fell apart and Borini poked home a fifth on 74 minutes after great work by Downing set him up.
Debuchy then picked up a red card for a second yellow after a reckless foul and Henderson's free-kick sailed into the net without anyone getting a touch.
It could have been seven but for Elliot's fine save from Coutinho's rocket but it was still Newcastle's worst home defeat since 1925.
Kop chief Brendan Rodgers said: "We were brilliant. It was so clinical. We got off to a terrific start and we were aggressive."
Source: Daily Mirror
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