Premier League 25/26 Matchday 14 - Liverpool 1:1 Sunderland Match Report

Match Report

Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by Sunderland at Anfield in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.

After both teams had struck the woodwork – the visitors doing so on two occasions – it was the away side who opened the scoring on 67 minutes when Chemsdine Talbi’s shot from distance took a deflection off Virgil van Dijk.

However, Florian Wirtz’s deflected effort levelled late on when he created space inside the area and struck left-footed against Nordi Mukiele.

Team

Arne Slot elected to make just one change to the starting line-up from the weekend victory at West Ham United, with Andy Robertson coming in for Milos Kerkez.

First half

On a cold night at Anfield, a Dominik Szoboszlai drive from distance early on warmed the palms of Robin Roefs, but Sunderland started brightly at Anfield.

Nevertheless, Alisson Becker remained largely untroubled in the early exchanges – and on 23 minutes, Liverpool went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock.

Wirtz got the bounce of the ball on the edge of the box, allowing him to bound his way into a one-on-one with Roefs. The No.7 nudged the ball towards goal, but the visiting ‘keeper got a boot to it to deflect it against the attacker and into the side netting.

By this point, the Reds’ threat was growing, though Omar Alderete did force Alisson into two routine saves.

Then, with 32 minutes elapsed, Trai Hume’s well-struck effort from 20 yards was required to be touched onto the crossbar by the hosts’ No.1.

At the other end, as half-time loomed, Szoboszlai’s shift-and-strike from the left needed to be punched over the bar by Roefs.

The subsequent corner saw Sunderland half-clear the ball, but Liverpool recycled it back into the box via Joe Gomez and a downward header towards the bottom corner by Alexis Mac Allister struck the outside of the post.

Second half

Mohamed Salah was introduced into the action during the break, replacing Cody Gakpo – and Liverpool started with intent.

Salah and Wirtz both had attempts into crowded boxes blocked by blue shirts, with Roefs not truly tested in the early exchanges.

Then, just after the hour, a near-post header from Alderete crashed against the outside of the post and behind as Sunderland demonstrated their threat once more.

And with 67 minutes on the clock, it was The Black Cats who opened the scoring. Talbi collected possession around 20 yards out and took aim, with the effort beating Alisson via the aid of a deflection off Van Dijk.

However, Liverpool levelled with eight minutes of normal time remaining.

It was a goal that owed much to the tenacity of Curtis Jones – an earlier substitute for Gomez – who stepped up to win possession and find Wirtz inside the box.

The No.7 then created space by shifting the ball onto his left foot before lifting a finish into the top corner via a deflection 15 yards out.

The home team piled on the pressure in search of a winner – but in a dramatic finale, Wilson Isidor rounded Alisson only have his strike towards the empty net blocked on the line by Federico Chiesa.

SOURCE: www.liverpoolfc.com