In the must-win world that is the Premier League, a debate over a manager’s future is inevitable in the wake of such a decisive defeat. This is the time for boardroom talks and unrest among supporters, although usually it is the man in charge of the losing team who finds himself under scrutiny.

Here, Rafael BenÍtez’s future was the one thrown into doubt after an immensely impressive victory by his Liverpool side proved to be only the prelude to further developments in his increasingly fractious stand-off with Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr, the club’s owners.

Significantly, Rick Parry’s name was dragged into the equation on several occasions by BenÍtez, who is clearly unhappy at being informed that the chief executive is the man responsible for brokering transfers at Anfield.

So BenÍtez was not entirely convincing when he insisted that only a rip in the designer suit he normally wears on match days prompted him to wear the type of tracksuit bizarrely favoured by Parry on away trips.

Whether or not it was a cheeky reference to Parry’s involvement in the manager’s territory, BenÍtez undoubtedly believes he is the man best suited to handling Liverpool’s transfer activities. “We need to talk to agents and sign players now,” he said. “If we don’t, we will lose targets and need to do something in the summer, which would be far more expensive. Hopefully it will be resolved because we want the best for the club.”

BenÍtez had a meeting with the owners last month and said: “It was really, really positive, but after this meeting something changed. I tried to explain my ideas and they told me to keep focusing on the team because Rick Parry is in charge of buying and selling players.”

BenÍtez insisted that the situation was “not serious”. But, wary of losing Javier Mascherano in January, he added: “We do need to get it sorted soon.”

It could be sorted sooner than even BenÍtez expects if their match at home to FC Porto on Wednesday results in Liverpool’s exit from the Champions League. Such an outcome only days after suggesting that your bosses do not understand the way football works in Europe would not be a shrewd career move - unless you have already decided your future lies elsewhere.

Sam Allardyce, the Newcastle manager, meanwhile, was being assured by Mike Ashley, his chairman, that he faces no immediate threat to his own job security. For a man who lost more than £70 million in only a few hours on the Stock Exchange last week, one point from four games may be the least of Ashley’s statistical concerns.

However, when Alan Shearer shares the worries of disillusioned supporters, nobody should doubt that Allardyce is a dead man walking unless he transforms Newcastle’s results and the quality of their performances. “That’s one point in 12 which came at Sunderland and that wasn’t a great performance,” Shearer said. “These are worrying times.”

The supporters made their views known by streaming out long before the end, applauding Liverpool fans who told Allardyce “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” and turned on him when he substituted Charles N’Zogbia and Emre Belözoglu, two players with attacking instincts, when United were trailing.

Allardyce, who rates this most recent slump as a blip rather than a calamity, said: “You’re not popular when you’re not doing well. If people don’t like me, it’s up to them. But it doesn’t bother me. It’s a fact of life here. I’ve come here to live with that pressure. I could have sat comfortably where I was, picked up my money and stayed at Bolton. Some people are coming up with disruptive rumours as always.”

Liverpool’s fans relished seeing Allardyce squirm as goals from Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel represented scant reward for their overwhelming control of the game. It was appropriate that Gerrard set Liverpool on their way to victory with a remarkable 30-yard effort because his energy and drive in midfield set the tone for their powerful performance.

Such an outcome was always predictable, of course, after the Newcastle supporters foolishly fired him up with their jeers in the wake of England’s defeat by Croatia on Wednesday.

“It is disappointing that Steven gets booed because he is such an important player for Liverpool and England,” Kuyt said. “I can understand people are upset at the result against Croatia, but Steven always gives everything. You have to respect players.”

There was precious little respect shown here, but Newcastle crowds of the past would still have recognised true quality by applauding Gerrard when he was substituted near the end; instead, they they let him depart in near-silence. It was not the Toon Army’s finest hour.

How they rated

Newcastle 3-5-2

S Given 6
H Beye Y 4
D Rozehnal 5
J Enrique 4
Gérémi 4
A Smith Y 4
N Butt Y 5
Emre Belözoglu 4
C N’Zogbia 5
M Viduka 4
O Martins 4

Substitutes S Carr (for Enrique, 78min), J Barton 4 (for Emre, 51), J Milner 5 (for N’Zogbia, 59) Not used S Harper, D Edgar

Liverpool 4-5-1

J Reina 5
S Finnan 6
J Carragher 6
S Hyypia 6
Á Arbeloa 5
D Kuyt 6
S Gerrard 8
L Leiva 6
M Sissoko Y 6
H Kewell 5
F Torres 7

Substitutes J A Riise (for Kuyt, 76), P Crouch (for Gerrard, 80), R Babel 7 (for Kewell, 58) Not used C Itandje, J Mascherano