Liverpool bounced back to winning ways in the Premier League with one of their best performances of the season as Virgil van Dijk’s header proved to be the difference to beat Sunderland 1-0.
The Reds’ journey to the Stadium of Light was pinpointed as one of the toughest fixtures and test of resolve for Arne Slot’s side. Heading to the ground, under the lights, where Regis Le Bris’ team had been unbeaten since their promotion – winning seven and drawing five of their 13 games before the visit of the Reds.
And the early signs showed that Liverpool were going to be in for a major test with the raucous home crowd roaring their team on in the high press as the visitors attempted to play out.
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That mixed with the Liverpool scars from the gutting defeat against Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, you’d have been forgiven for thinking Slot’s side could be subjected to an early onslaught, but the Reds managed the opening exchanges comfortably.
It was the perfect response to the chaos of the City game. A cool, calm and collected Liverpool looked as good as they have all season.
That early confidence in possession was evident through Florian Wirtz. The German forced Robin Roefs into the first real save of the net with a powerfully struck effort from distance before he drove a low shot onto the post after his neat first touch created the chance by opening up the space in the penalty box.
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Wirtz was central to anything Liverpool did, but he passed up another chance to open this scoring, this time through poor play by himself, as he failed to be brave when attacking a free header, thinking Roefs was closer to him than he was and meeting the ball with a limp effort that Ally McCoist compared to that of a timid tortoise.
Liverpool should have been in front at the break, with Sunderland stuck between pressing or sitting off, instead doing nothing and giving the Reds the freedom to create whatever they wanted. The Black Cats really missed the inspirational Granit Xhaka, who could only watch on from the stands.
Reds legend Steven Gerrard was also happy with the first-half performance, as he said on TNT Sports: “Liverpool have controlled the game. They have dominated and asked the question all half.”
The inevitable second-half bounce came from the hosts, both in attack and more desire in defence, as both Wirtz and Mohamed Salah saw goalbound efforts cleared by last-ditch blocks. But the defensive heroics were unable to save Sunderland again as Habib Diarra inadvertently turned Virgil van Dijk’s header into the roof of the net.
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Finally Liverpool took the lead on the hour, with the goal going down as Van Dijk’s fourth of the season, after the Dutchman towered in the six-yard box, meeting the header with a great connection. Diarra had little time to sort his positioning out on the line to clear the goalbound effort.
The hosts reacted well to going behind and piled late pressure after Liverpool missed chances to kill the game, with the best opportunities falling to Ekitike and Curtis Jones. Despite the size in the team, the hosts never looked close to finding an equaliser and Liverpool saw through three key points after Manchester United and Chelsea both failed to win on Tuesday.
With Dominik Szoboszlai suspended after his red card against City, Wataru Endo made a rare appearance, and an even rarer start for the first time in the league this season as he was picked over Curtis Jones at right-back. However, the position looks to be a curse after the Japan international was stretchered off with a nasty looking ankle injury – requiring oxygen as he was taken down the tunnel.
Joe Gomez returned to action after missing the previous two games with injury but the strain on the squad, especially in defence, is becoming a worry. Endo is set to join a defensive injury list consisting of Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni.