London: Dirk Kuyt scored a first-half goal and Xabi Alonso added another late in the second half to give Liverpool a 2-0 victory over Newcastle on Wednesday at Anfield.

The victory improved Liverpool to seven points after five games while Newcastle remained with six points. Portsmouth lead the Premier League with 13 points.

Kuyt scored his first goal for Liverpool, a close-range strike in the 29th. It was Liverpool’s first goal in four games. Alonso added the second in the 79th on a 70-metre shot that caught Newcastle keeper Steve Harper off his line. He was starting for injured Shay Given.

Three Premier League teams were knocked out in the second round of the League Cup. Chesterfield beat Manchester City 2-1, Wycombe eliminated Fulham 2-1 and Notts County defeated Middlesbrough 1-0. In another second-round game, Premier League side Aston Villa defeated Scunthorpe 2-1.

Meanwhile, Hernan Crespo’s 44th-minute goal gave Inter Milan a 1-0 win over AS Roma in a match-up of the two Serie A title favourites Wednesday.

The Argentina striker scored on a sharply angled shot from near the end line that deflected off the legs of Roma’s Brazilian goalkeeper Alexander Doni. Doni stopped a penalty kick by Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the 55th. (AP)