Perhaps it was poetic justice that Liverpool should have
opened the scoring in such freakish fashion. After all, it is
almost 12 months since a beach ball condemned former manager Rafael
Benitez’s side to defeat at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland have still not forgotten their glee at that incident
- the beach balls dotted around the away end testament to how the
moment endures - but Kuyt’s goal was every bit as controversial,
and just as comic.
Referee Stuart Attwell, just a moment after ruling out a
Fernando Torres strike for the most marginal of offsides, awarded
Sunderland a free kick just inside their own half for an apparent
foul on Titus Bramble by Raul Meireles. Sunderland sought to
restart play too quickly for Attwell’s liking, demanding it be
returned to Michael Turner.
In the confusion, the defender seemed to play the ball back to
his goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. The pass, though, was far too weak,
and Torres pounced, streaking towards the Kop and presenting Kuyt
with a simple finish. Sunderland protested, Attwell consulted his
linesman, and the goal was allowed to stand.
No doubt, at that point, the plans were already underway for the
cardboard cut-outs of Attwell for the visit to Wearside later this
season, a retort to those beach balls. Liverpool, though, did not
build on their fortuitous start. Instead, for the second time in
four days, they were outplayed and out-thought on their own
turf.
Sunderland used the ball better, attacked with more purpose,
played with more poise. Just like Northampton on Wednesday, they
came to Anfield and looked like they owned the place.
Steve Bruce’s side deserved Darren Bent’ equaliser from the
penalty spot, secured after Christian Poulsen handled Ahmed
Elmohamady’s cross, and, in truth, could consider going level at
half-time as scant reward for their efforts. Little matter. The
visitors scored immediately afterwards, Bent heading home Onuoha’s
deep cross.
For a moment, Liverpool crumbled. Sunderland cut their hosts
open at leisure. Hodgson, seated on the bench, cut a disconsolate
figure, his players seemed directionless, powerless.
There was a time when Liverpool would automatically turn to
Steven Gerrard at such instances, the club’s totem’s drive and
determination enough on its own to turn however strong a tide. So,
too, here, though Gerrard’s headed goal owed a great deal to good
fortune - Torres’s cross was deflected twice on the way to his brow
- and could not disguise an otherwise anonymous showing.
As so often, though, he served to galvanise his side. Suddenly,
Liverpool swarmed forward, their momentum not even halted by seeing
both Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel badly cut after clashing
heads.
David Ngog was denied by Mignolet, Joe Cole’s follow up blocked
by Titus Bramble. Gerrard went close once, so too Dirk Kuyt, and,
in the extended period of injury time, Turner made up for his
earlier error by denying Ngog on the line.
None of those chances were quite so glaring as the one offered
to Daniel Agger just moments before Attwell blew his whistle,
though, the Dane heading just wide from Skrtel’s flick on.
