Liverpool had to fight hard in their match against Sunderland but their 2-0 victory helped the Merseyside club move back to the top of the Premier League table, until Chelsea reclaimed that after they defeated Spurs late in the night.
The Reds couldn’t break a resilient Sunderland side down in the first half but substitute Divock Origi scored in the 75th minute and Sadio Mane then won a penalty in the 90th minute. James Milner made no mistake in beating Jordan Pickford as he slotted home the penalty.
While the Reds celebrated their victory Sunderland finished match day 13 at the bottom of the table, which heaps more pressure on David Moyes.
We look back at the tense affair at Anfield and share the five talking points from the match.
#1 Liverpool huff and puff but get their reward
It would have been naïve had David Moyes’ side attacked Liverpool at Anfield. The Reds have been incredible at home and Sunderland defended really well for most of the game. The onus would always have been on Liverpool to attack the Black Cats and for 75 minutes it seemed the home side would have to be happy with a draw.
Akin to the games against Southampton and Manchester United, the Reds just could not break down the Sunderland defence until Divock Origi’s cross/shot went into the net. What was great to see was that the side kept on going, even if things weren’t falling into place for them, this was missing from some of the earlier performances in the season.
The Reds needed a bit of luck for their goal but it is these kinds of performances which will ensure Klopp’s men are close to the top of the table.
#2 David Moyes got his tactics right
Coming to Anfield and hoping for a point or a win is not easy but David Moyes did have some positives before going into the game as the Black Cats had won their last two games. Everyone would remember the 2-2 draw Sunderland got at Anfield last season and they were set up to cause an upset, or at least get a point.
Moyes had even joked that Sunderland would park two buses to stop Liverpool from playing and it all was going well for the away side. Liverpool looked out of sync, Philippe Coutinho had to be substituted early in the game and the Reds just could not break the side down.
Moyes ensured his side was tough to crack and even though Liverpool had 78% of the possession, they couldn’t get a clean shot on goal for most of the game.
Sunderland also had their own chances to score but Loris Karius stood tall between the sticks for Liverpool and ensured the away side didn’t get a goal.
This was not the worst performance from the Black Cats this season and Moyes would certainly feel a little upset he did not return with at least a point. But these are the kinds of performances that should provide confidence for the rest of the season.
#3 Injuries are a major concern for the Reds
Prior to the game Liverpool were without Adam Lallana and Daniel Sturridge due to injuries and the Reds can add another member to the injured list, Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian jarred his ankle as he went into a 50/50 in the Sunderland penalty box and was immediately substituted.
Liverpool do have a few players who can step up but there isn’t anyone close to Coutinho. The Brazilian provides a lot of creativity in attack and the home side were poor for most of the game. The loss of Lallana and Coutinho will hurt the side in the long run and will greatly reduce Liverpool’s attacking ability.
If the Reds are to qualify for the Champions League, they need to keep their attack sharp but for now, all Liverpool fans will be hoping for a quick return from their star attackers.
#4 Divock Origi changed the game for the Reds
Injuries to Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana meant that Divock Origi was brought onto the field as a replacement for Coutinho. The Belgian hasn’t really played all that much for Klopp this season, thanks to a lack of European games, but the former Lille striker has always done well when brought on.
The game against Sunderland was pretty much the same; Origi did come on and worked his socks off. He was more than willing to run the channels and also provided the Reds with a physical presence up top.
The Belgian made life difficult for the Sunderland defence but it did come as a surprise when his cross went into the net, flummoxing Jordan Pickford in goal.
This was the perfect outing for the youngsters and with Daniel Sturridge seemingly heading out from Anfield and injuries to Lallana and Coutinho, Origi could get more game time under Klopp.
#5 Sunderland are in for another tough fight at the bottom
It was a crazy night for the teams at the bottom of the league. Sunderland were above Swansea coming into the game and for a while, it looked like it would stay that way but the Welsh side suddenly found goals coming and beat Crystal Palace 5-4 on the night.
Middlesbrough and Hull City also had to deal with draws in their respective games, which means the bottom six are just four points apart. Had Sunderland been a little lucky they could have come back from Anfield with a point but for now, they have to perform another miraculous act to survive this season.
This has been a recurring theme for the Black Cats for a number of years and maybe this is David Moyes’ toughest task to date in terms of saving a club, we won’t speak about the Manchester United bit for now.
