VIRGIL van Dijk secured his latest place in Liverpool’s record books as Arne Slot’s men showed a bit of steel to prove they could do it on a filthy night on Wearside.
The Dutchman headed a second-half winner as he found the net for the 23rd time in his Anfield career to become the club’s top scoring defender in the Premier League era.
It was enough to bring an end to the top flight’s last remaining unbeaten home record as for once a Granit Xhaka-less Sunderland came up short in front of their own fans for the first time in 13 league games this season.
After the storm of Sunday’s crazily-open defeat to Manchester City, Liverpool restored a degree of calm with a rare clean sheet on their travels to secure only a third win in the last 11 away games.
Intriguingly, the Premier League Champions have shipped more goals on the road this season than Wolves, but atoned by shutting out a side who’ve caused so many sides problems on home soil this season.
Before a ball had been kicked this season, Liverpool were red-hot favourites to defend their Premier League title with ease and Sunderland were meant to disappear quickly back to the Championship. Coming into the game with 36 points, the Wearside club had already scaled their Everest with top flight safety all but secured and arguably their most difficult task between now and the end of the campaign is lifting themselves to ensure a memorable season doesn’t fizzle out.
In the most cagey of openings at a strangely subdued Stadium of Light, it took almost half an hour for either side to create a meaningful opening. Sunderland’s Dutch keeper Robin Roefs was forced to dive smartly to his right to divert a stinging long-range drive from Florian Wirtz, the first of three openings in quick succession for the midfielder.
The German came even closer to breaking the deadlock as Liverpool exerted the contest’s first sustained spell of pressure with half-time approaching.
After being given space in the area from Andy Robertson’s pass, the £115m summer arrival from Leverkusen had time to take a touch before unleashing a low left foot shot which hit the outside of Roefs’ left-hand post before the ball was scrambled to safety.
A rare error from the otherwise impeccable Dan Ballard then presented Wirtz with another chance but with the imposing frame of Roefs bearing down on him, Liverpool’s most influential player put in a less than convincing header which was comfortably saved to ensure parity at half-time.
The break halted the visitors’ growing momentum, and Sunderland enjoyed their best spell early in the second period until that was brought to an abrupt halt when Liverpool’s skipper broke the deadlock just after the hour.
From Mo Salah’s in-swinging delivery, van Dijk rose highest to apply a firm glancing header from close range which Habib Diarra, positioned on the line, came close to blocking but was ultimately unsuccessful in his attempts to keep the ball out of the Sunderland net as the visitors scored for only the third time at a corner this season.
With Dominik Szoboszlai banned following his red card in Sunday’s demolition derby with City, Wataru Endo became the seventh Liverpool player to start at right-back this season.
The position’s seeming curse continued when the 33-year-old Japan international was stretchered off with what appeared to be ligament damage after falling awkwardly on his ankle in making a clearance.
Substitute Curtis Jones wasted a decent half chance to double the advantage as stoppage-time approached, but leaned back rather too much to sky his effort from a dozen yards after Liverpool’s swift counter-attack caught Sunderland short of numbers at the back.
Endo’s injury led to seven minutes stoppage-time and although the visitors dropped alarmingly deep in their efforts to protect their lead, Slot’s side held out comfortably enough to maintain their hopes of if not successfully defending their title, then at least having the consolation of securing the return of Champions League football next season.
Roefs 7; Mukiele 7, Ballard 7, Alderete 7 (Geertruida 80, 6) ), Reinildo 7; Sadiki 6, Le Fee 6; Hume 7 (Talbi 80, 6), Diarra 5 (Isidor 90, 5), Angulo 5 (Mundle 80, 6); Brobbey 6. Booked: Reinildo.
Alisson 7; Endo 7 (Gomez 69, 6), Konate 7, van Dijk 7, Robertson 7; Gravenberch 6, MacAllister 7; Salah 7, Wirtz 8, Gakpo 5 (Jones 75, 6); Ekitike 6 (Chiesa 86, 6). Booked:.
Chris Kavanagh
