The Spanish international's most recent appearance on the score-sheet for the club had arrived in similar circumstances in the FA Cup victory over Luton Town in January.

And the midfielder was at it again 11 minutes from time at Anfield, spotting Steve Harper off his line to embarrass the flailing Newcastle goalkeeper -- who was only in the side because first choice 'keeper Shay Given suffered a serious injury at the weekend -- in amazing style from almost 70 yards.

Until Alonso's late intervention, the hosts looked like having to settle for Dirk Kuyt's first Liverpool goal as they returned to winning ways following back-to-back defeats.

The margin of victory should have been more emphatic, as the excellent Luis Garcia struck the post 17 minutes from time.

And Kuyt, a summer target for Newcastle before his 10 million pounds move to Anfield from Feyenoord, missed two clear second-half openings as Liverpool made hard work of stretching their opponents' winless run here to 13 games.

In front of watching England manager Steve McClaren, Kuyt broke the deadlock to reward Liverpool for their dominance of the first half hour.

Steve Finnan's run down the right was met by Alonso's perfect through ball, and Kuyt had the simple task of sliding home the full-back's inviting centre as he outpaced Craig Moore to meet the centre five yards out.

Liverpool should already have been ahead at this point as Craig Bellamy wasted a clear early chance to put the hosts in the ascendancy.

The Wales striker used his pace to latch onto a defence-splitting pass from Garcia, the Spaniard who was restored to Liverpool's starting line-up in place of Jermaine Pennant following the defeat at Chelsea.

Bellamy had ample time to weigh up his options as he bore down on the Newcastle goal, only to fire a low shot from inside the area straight at Harper, who was starting his first Premiership match for 17 months.

Celestine Babayaro was fortunate to stay on after flooring Kuyt with a first in the face at a first-half corner, which went unseen by the officials. The Nigerian international defender could still face censure when the Football Association review the incident on video.

Garcia was exerting an increasing influence on the encounter, but overstepped the mark in his efforts to double Liverpool's advantage, earning a booking immediately after the break as he punched Alonso's free-kick into the net.

Newcastle had strong penalty appeals turned down either side of Garcia's handy-work, as Shola Ameobi tumbled under Daniel Agger's challenge, before England defender Jamie Carragher charged down the striker's shot with his arm. Both times well-placed referee Mark Halsey ignored the claims.

Bellamy spurned another clear chance to put the outcome beyond doubt 10 minutes into the second half, racing onto the loose ball as Gerrard blocked an attempted clearance from Peter Ramage. The former Newcastle striker's chip over Harper looked perfect, only for the effort to drift narrowly wide.

Harper was by far the busier of the goalkeepers, and he again kept Newcastle in the hunt with a fine 63rd-minute save from a long-range Fabio Aurelio free-kick which was heading for the bottom right-hand corner following Moore's foul on Kuyt.