Liverpool 2-2 Sunderland: Steven Gerrard salvages draw
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Both Liverpool and Sunderland will be looking forward to getting back to Premier League action on Saturday after suffering midweek defeats in the League Cup.
Liverpool were dumped out of the cup by League Two side Northampton Town on penalties, while Sunderland were knocked out of the competition by Premier League strugglers West Ham United.
Can the Reds halt the slide?
It’s been a tough week for the Liverpool squad and their fans after defeat to bitter rivals Manchester United in the Premier League was followed by a humiliating midweek defeat on penalties to Northampton Town in the Carling Cup.
The Reds weren’t at their best against United but Roy Hodgson will take heart from the fight back from his side put up, although he will be concerned that his side conceded a third goal and that all three of United’s goals came from crosses.
Things didn’t get better on Wednesday night when the Cobblers knocked the Reds out of the League Cup. Despite making 11 changes Liverpool fans were expecting a victory but it wasn’t to be as they were outplayed by Northampton, who were deserving of their victory on penalties.
Reds fans will at least be buoyed by their record against Sunderland in the Premier League at Anfield and will hope the return of their more senior players sees an improved performance and a much needed victory.
Black Cats aiming to keep unbeaten league run going
Sunderland are on a bit of a high in the Premier League at the moment, following their victory over Manchester City, a strong performance against Wigan and their dramatic injury time equaliser against Arsenal.
Confidence was high at the Stadium of Light, but a surprise defeat to West Ham United in the League Cup will have dented that a little.
The form of Darren Bent and Asamoah Gyan will be something Steve Bruce will be happy with — between them the strikers have bagged seven of the eight goals scored by the Black Cats this season. Bruce will be hoping his new look strike partnership continues to flourish as Sunderland go in search of their first victory at Anfield in the Premier League.
TEAM NEWS
Liverpool
Roy Hodgson is expected to recall his senior players for this match and that could mean 11 changes to the side beaten by Northampton Town.
Liverpool fans will be expecting to see Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Fernando Torres and Joe Cole back in the starting line-up and will hope they can turn around the Reds form.
Potential starting XI: Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Konchesky; Cole, Poulsen, Meireles, Babel; Gerrard; Torres.
Sunderland
Steve Bruce played a full strength side for the Carling Cup defeat against West Ham so he may not make any changes to his starting line-up.
Captain Lee Cattermole will be available again after serving a one match suspension following his red card against Wigan, however Titus Bramble may not be involved following his recent arrest on suspicion of rape.
Potential starting XI: Mignolet; Onouha, Ferdinand, Bramble, Richardson; Henderson, Cattermole, Riveros, Malbranque; Bent, Gyan. -
I am sorry for misconducting myself and look forward to repent.
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I guess being a man utd fan must be so boring that you have turned abusive and rude.
If you want excitement, you are welcome to join us when you completed your treatment.
By the way, you have been paying too much attention to Liverpool cos you are too jealous of Liverpool.
We can understand your emptiness when you watched your team play.
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just another clone of a Troll....
anyway, there are fans that simply can't behave... I have been supporting the Reds Devils for almost 30yrs... but i do respect opposite teams & fans as well... only those dirts can't control themselves... shamed.
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I urge you guys to ignore him, he has been around for a very long time ever since Liverpool reign under Rafael. Trolls are best to be ignored, once replied, they feel content that they irritated/bothered someone.
They have sad lifes and we should leave it at that!
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Home side left disappointed after draw with Black Cats...
Liverpool’s troubles continued as they dropped two vital points at home to Sunderland as Steven Gerrard snatched a point after fellow England international Darren Bent had scored a double to put the Black Cats ahead.
The first half started brightly for the home side who went into the lead as a result of a mistake by referee Stuart Attwell. Michael Turner played the back to goalkeeper Simon Mignolet so that he could take a free kick but Fernando Torres took it as an invitation to go after the ball, and he did, setting up Dirk Kuyt to stab the ball home to the delight of the home support.
Attwell looked to his assistant for advice and after a couple of minutes they decided to award the goal, to the jubilation of under-fire Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson and the disgust of Steve Bruce, who raced from the dug out to remonstrate with the fourth official.
Liverpool, coming off of their humiliating League Cup defeat to Northampton Town continued to press the Black Cats in order to get the comfort of a second goal that would please the home fans. They should have doubled their lead with only eight minutes on the clock when Torres came close, while in the penalty area.
After that, the visitors started to gain a foothold into the game and after a series of free kicks, halfway through the first half Sunderland received a way back into the game when Christian Poulsen handled inside the area to give the Black Cats a spot kick.
Darren Bent stroked the resulting penalty under Pepe Reina to give what his side felt, as justice, as they levelled things up.
Things got worse for the home side minutes later when Paul Konchesky was forced from the field with an injury, to be replaced by Daniel Agger as Hodgson’s side were forced to reshuffle at the back.
For the rest of the first half, both sides seemed to cancel each other out, as the continually gave the ball away. On the half time whistle Atwell was surrounded by both Turner and Mignolet, who complained about Liverpool’s first goal.
Tough test | Gerrard and Malbranque battle for the ball at Anfield
The second half was to start badly for Hodgson as he watched his side go behind as Nedum Onuoha found Bent, who headed the ball home from six yards out, much to the dismay of the Liverpool fans in the Kop.
This goal gave the home side the confidence to go forward, especially Bent hunting a hat-trick ball, as they continued to press the home side, who were making mistakes, with both Torres and Kuyt making their way into Atwell’s book.
Needing to get back into the game, Hodgson decided to go for broke as he took off Poulsen and replaced him with top goalscorer David NGog.
The goal that Hodgson had hoped for came when Torres raced down the right hand side, beating Titus Bramble and crossing the ball in for Gerrard to nod home to get the Reds back into the game and get their fans back together with them.
Liverpool, then lost Jamie Carragher for a period of time, as the result of a head knock with Martin Skrtel, which left the Slovakian needing bandages to keep the blood away, while his fellow defender was sent to the dressing room to get stitched up by the medical staff.
Liverpool should have gone into the lead when NGog shot from just inside the area, but found Mignolet in good form, but none of his Liverpool teammates were available to find the net after the rebound came out.
With 10 minutes left, Bruce decided to go for all three points as he took Danny Welbeck from the field and replaced him with record signing Asamoah Gyan, as they looked to give Bent more help as he went forward in search of the winner.
Liverpool looked to get further forward and were unfortunate not to go into the lead when Glen Johnson fired wide from the edge of the area.
As the game went into six minutes of injury time, Liverpool continued to press the visitors, but could not find a way through, with Agger coming extremely close as Hodgson’s side looked to gain an unlikely winner.
It wasn't to be and a dismal week on Merseyside ended in more frustration for the Reds who now have just six point after six games played. -
I don't know what is Roy doing, he rested players at northhampton in hopes of getting fresher players for the match today. But it wasn't about the 'freshness' of the players, it's about how they play the ball around and the formation.
I've emphasized on the importance of formation for a very long time. Rafael plays 4-2-3-1, but it was with 2 defensive midfielders. Roy plays 4-2-3-1, with 2 central midfielders.
IMHO, we should play 442 with Jovanovic/N'gog and torres up front. we've seen at Man Utd match, after getting N'gog on we were better. At sunderland's match, after getting N'gog on, we were better.
Hope Roy will see that.
Plus, our passing was very bad. Half of the time seeing a long, heck, even short passes getting intercepted so easily.
A very frustrating time for us Liverpool fans.
