Liverpool bagged all three points at the Stadium of Light despite Sunderland fighting with all their might

Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool bagged all three points at Tyne and Wear with goals from Daniel Sturridge and the returning Luis Suarez while the home side showed tremendous mental ability to give Liverpool a run for their money.

 

The Merseysider’s took to the field after two consecutive losses against Southampton in the League and Manchester United in the Capital One Cup as they looked to regain some confidence of their credentials after doubts about their consistency.

Their starting XI looked as strong as they can get with a return to the League for Uruguay international Luis Suarez who made their attack extremely potent in addition to the in-form Daniel Sturridge. Mamadou Sakho, Kolo Toure and Martin Skrtel formed their back three, as Rodgers went in with a 3-5-2 formation, Jordan Henderson and Jose Enrique playing the wing-back role.

Victor Moses, on loan from Chelsea, was handed a free roaming role behind the two strikers, with the Nigerian looking to link up play from the deep to cause trouble among their opposition’s defence.

Victor Moses had the responsibilty to create chances for Suarez and Sturridge

 

Sunderland, however, took to the field in what looked like a 4-4-1-1 set up, their attack spearheaded by former Villarreal striker Jozy Altidore, supported by Emanuele Giaccherini, who naturally started from the left drifting inside to threaten Liverpool’s back three. 

Caretaker manager Kevin Ball had a well thought off strategy to counter the Reds as he packed his midfield to block spaces in the centre of the park there by making the execution of Liverpool’s short passing philosophy almost impossible. Ki Sung-Yueng, on loan from Swansea City, and Lee Cattermole were both stationed in the centre of the park to counter their opponents’ passing with Lucas Leiva, who dictates play from the deep their primary target. They hardly gave Lucas, and in addition Gerrard, any time on the ball, thus enabling Liverpool to lose possession frequently early on in the game.

 

Their attack, however, was being given direction by Sebastian Larrson and Adam Johnson from the wings, with manager Ball having recognised that as an area to exploit considering both Enrique and Henderson’s attentions were slightly diverted by their duties in attack. An important area of their play was focussed on Altidore, who held up the ball brilliantly on every occasion to bring his team mates into play along with giving Sakho a troubling time throughout the evening. 

 

 

Italian internationa Giaccherini was the man responsible for creating chances from the left for the home side 

The Black Cats were firmly ahead in terms of quality of play, yet lacking the final pass, when Sturridge headed in (elbowed in, without the knowledge of the linesman or the Sunderland players) from his fellow countryman Gerrard’s corner. Their opponents of the day were certainly the better side up till that point with more than decent passes in their attacking third but lacked the composure to make all that quality play count.

They were only trying to string together few passes after going a goal down when intelligent play from Moses and Suarez created a first real sign of link up play of the evening. Moses’ role today was slightly varied from the ones he’s been playing so far, with his vision and composure tested to the core to create space for the two strikers ahead of him.  

The Black Cats will definitely feel hard done by as Liverpool surely capitalized on their lucky one goal lead with smart play down the right hand side from Sturridge immediately after Mignolet’s unconfident clearance of a Johnson shot failed to convert into a goal for the hosts. The former Chelsea and Bolton striker then squared for Suarez after easily past Cuellar, who poked home into an empty net to make it 2-0 to the visitors. The game looked lost, where as in reality, Liverpool hardly deserved to have a two goal cushion as the game headed into half time. Rodgers’ side had failed to get going in the middle of the park with their opponent’s midfielder’s hardly giving them time and space on the ball. Their defence though looked untroubled so far, with only worry being Mignolet’s uncharacteristic handling. 

The second half started with the hosts pumped up from their manager’s half time talk as they continued pressing to mark a comeback into the game. A major difference from the first half was that they actually had shots on target in the second period, sensing that Mignolet was not having his best of days.  

 

Ki put in another shift in Sunderland's midfield hardly allowing Lucas and Gerrard any time on the ball

After Johnson and Giaccherini’s shots early on, it was Ki’s who was finally spilled over by the keeper and was slotted into the net by the former Juventus man Giaccherini. Sunderland had got the goal they deserved and were well and truly back in the game. Having gained that momentum, they looked like drawing level numerous times but failed due to lack of conviction in their attack. There was no variation being offered and Liverpool looked to pass through the motions by occasionally threatening on the break. Their confidence looked to take a hit, which showed by their lack of patience to keep the ball rather than be adventurous with just a goal cushion in hand. 

The game fizzed out a bit as the hosts continuously pushed for an equalizer and might even blame a missing spark in their ranks for the deficit. Altidore and Giaccherini were pretty much to be accounted for the missed chances as the Merseysider’s looked to use substitute Raheem Sterling’s (who came on for Moses) pace to break on the counter. Although not through the young Englishman, Liverpool did counter brilliantly through Suarez and then Sturridge in a move that finished in the back of the net by the Uruguayan in the 89th minute to bag all three points which look destined for Anfield right from the very beginning. 

Although not through the beautiful football they have now come to be known for, a victory like today’s will be certainly needed to Liverpool if they are to finish in the top 4, as opposed to Sunderland, who will surely need better fortune if they are to stay in the top flight come 2014-2015.

 

Written By,
Aman Arora

Aman writes for Goal India and 18YB. Follow him on twitter at @aman_ghs