Quick-thinking: Sunderland's Nicklas Bendtner lashes in
the rebound
Take that: Sunderland's Nicklas Bendtner lashes the
ball into the net
Sunderland:
Mignolet, Bardsley, O'Shea, Turner, Bridge, Larsson, Colback,
Gardner, McClean, Bendtner (Wickham 83), Campbell (Vaughan 75).
Subs Not Used: Gordon, Kilgallon, Meyler, Kyrgiakos,
Elmohamady.
Booked:
McClean.
Goals: Bendtner
56.
Liverpool: Reina,
Kelly,Skrtel, Coates, Jose Enrique, Kuyt, Henderson (Downing 79),
Adam (Carroll 69), Spearing, Bellamy (Gerrard 69), Suarez. Subs Not
Used: Doni, Maxi, Carragher, Flanagan.
Booked:
Skrtel.
Att:
41,661
Ref: Anthony
Taylor (Cheshire).
It was not quite the beachball farce of 2009 that
earned Sunderland a rare victory against Liverpool - but in the
glossary of comical goals, Nicklas Bendtner's winner was not a bad
second.
Three seasons ago Darren Bent's shot was deflected into
the Liverpool net off a beachball thrown by a spectator.
This time it was more of a pinball machine effort that
produced in turn cheers, groans, and finally cheers as the ball
eventually found the net.
Fraizer Campbell beat Martin Skrtel outside the area; his
shot evaded Pepe Reina's dive; the ball came back off a post and
hit the prostrate keeper on the head; it then hit the same post a
second time before Bendtner raced in to score.
Apart from the Dane's strike, the match was devoid of
goalmouth action but victory maintains Martin O'Neill's astonishing
renaissance.
Defeat is potentially disastrous for Kenny Dalglish's
hopes of rescuing a season of some success but much bitterness by
qualifying for the Champions League.
'We just need to keep going and try to get as many points
on the board as we can, ' Dalglish said. 'If we get the fourth spot
it will be fantastic for the club - just like winning the Carling
Cup was fantastic and reaching the sixth round of the FA
Cup.'
Not happy: Liverpool's Luis Suarez reacts to a
referee's decision
Not happy: Liverpool's Kenny Dalglish on the
touchline
Liverpool are only two points ahead of the
Wearsiders, who were relegation fodder when O'Neill took charge in
December, and they now lie 10 points behind a top-four
slot.
It is the first time since 2003 that Liverpool have lost
three successive Premier League games.
And they got what they deserved after starting with Andy
Carroll and Stewart Downing on the bench alongside Steven
Gerrard.
All three came on before the end as Dalglish attempted to
pull a rabbit out of the hat.
Does it hurt: Sunderland's manager Martin O'Neil checks
on Liverpool's Craig Bellamy
Unlucky break: Sunderland's Nicklas Bendtner is carried
off injured
But the only magic came from Sunderland, without
Lee Cattermole and Stephane Sessegnon through suspension, and
Kieran Richardson with a calf injury.
They will miss the FA Cup quarter-final at Everton next
week and Sunderland could also be without Bendtner, stretchered off
near the end after a tackle by Skrtel.
'I thought it was a tremendous effort, especially being
without three influential players,' said O'Neill. 'I couldn't
really ask for much more.'
