Rafa Benitez's top five Premier League wins as Liverpool manager

Before Liverpool's visit to Newcastle United on Super Sunday, we look back at Rafa Benitez's five greatest Premier League wins during his time at Anfield.

The Newcastle boss spent six years at the helm of Liverpool after arriving on Merseyside from Valencia in the summer of 2004, winning the 2005 Champions League and the FA Cup the following year.

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However, the Spaniard was unable to end the club's long wait for the league title, although he still oversaw a number of thrilling displays while in charge of Liverpool, including these memorable contests…

November 2004: Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal

Three months into his reign Benitez masterminded a 2-1 win over then champions Arsenal thanks to a high-octane display that was to become a hallmark of many of his side's performances at Anfield.

New signing Xabi Alonso opened the scoring just before half-time following a wonderful flowing move, only for Patrick Vieira to bring the visitors level against the run of play just before the hour mark.

However Benitez enjoyed his first big win as Liverpool boss when Neil Mellor crashed home an unstoppable 30-yard effort deep into injury time.

October 2008: Manchester City 2-3 Liverpool

Another game settled by a stoppage-time goal, this time after Liverpool found themselves trailing 2-0 at half-time at the Etihad.

Mark Hughes' side led through goals from Stephen Ireland and Javier Garrido, only for Fernando Torres to reduce the deficit with a neat finish 10 minutes after half-time.

The match was then turned on its head when Pablo Zabaleta was sent off midway through the second half, with Liverpool taking full advantage of their numerical superiority by scoring twice more through Torres and Dirk Kuyt's dramatic late strike.

October 2008: Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool

Xabi Alonso's early goal, albeit with the help of a deflection, not only propelled Liverpool three points clear at the top of the table, but also ended Chelsea's 86-game unbeaten home run in the league.

The visitors arrived without injured star man Fernando Torres, but the Spain international's absence mattered little as Benitez's team produced one of the most complete displays during his six years at the club.

December 2008: Newcastle 1-5 Liverpool

A rampant Liverpool confirmed themselves as title contenders after destroying Newcastle with Steven Gerrard running the show at St James' Park.

The Liverpool captain opened the scoring, with Sami Hyypia's header doubling the visitors' lead, before David Edgar pulled a goal back for Newcastle just before the break.

However Benitez's side added further goals in the second half through Ryan Babel, Gerrard and Xabi Alonso's penalty.

March 2009: Manchester United 1-4 Liverpool

Liverpool's greatest-ever Premier League win, as voted for by Sky Sports users, came with Benitez at the helm as these two arch rivals battled for the title at Old Trafford toward the end of the 2008/09 season.

United went ahead through Cristiano Ronaldo's early penalty, only for Fernando Torres to equalise after a mistake at the back from Nemanja Vidic.

Liverpool led at the interval thanks to Steven Gerrard's spot kick after he was fouled. And when Vidic saw red 15 minutes from time, Fabio Aurelio further increased United's pain by scoring from the resulting free kick.

And Benitez's most memorable league win while in charge of Liverpool was confirmed when substitute Andrea Dossena lobbed Edwin van der Sar in injury time.