Source: Daily_Mail
Liverpool 1 Sunderland 1: Sebastian Larsson scores late equaliser
[LNB]Kenny Dalglish bemoaned a refereeing howler that left Sunderland with 11 men when they should have been reduced to 10 inside five minutes but admitted other factors played a part in this ultimately limp draw.[LNB]Tiredness was an obvious issue for several players in his new-look side, including Luis Suarez and Lucas, both only recently returning from Copa America duty.[LNB]Dalglish also cited the 'big ordeal' for any player having to make a competitive club debut at Anfield and Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Jose Enrique were all doing that, Enrique just a few days after signing from Newcastle.[LNB][LNB] Jumping for joy: Luis Suarez celebrates scoring the first goal[LNB]MATCH FACTSLiverpool (4-4-2): Reina; Flanagan, Carragher, Agger, Enrique; Henderson (Kuyt 60 mins), Lucas, Adam, Downing; Suarez (Meireles 75 mins), Carroll[LNB]Subs not used: Doni, Spearing, N'Gog, Kelly, Robinson[LNB]Booked: Carragher, Henderson, Adam, Kuyt[LNB]Sunderland (4-4-1-1): Mignolet; Bardsley, Brown, Ferdinand, Richardson; Elmohammady, Cattermole, Colback, Larsson (Vaughan 80 mins); Sessegnon; Gyan (Ji 66 mins).[LNB]Subs not used: Westwood, Gardner, Wickham, Bramble, Laing[LNB]Booked: Bardsley, Richardson, Cattermole, Larsson[LNB]Attendance: 45,018[LNB]Referee: Phil Dowd[LNB]How they stand: Premier League table[LNB]'That's six boys there who have something of an excuse,' said Dalglish, addressing why his men faded after a bright first half when Suarez put the hosts ahead. Sebastian Larsson's 57th-minute equaliser earned Sunderland a point that Dalglish said was deserved.[LNB]'For Sunderland's effort and commitment, a draw was about right,' said Dalglish. [LNB]He was less sanguine about referee Phil Dowd's decision not to send off Kieran Richardson after the Sunderland defender had denied Suarez a clear goalscoring chance.[LNB]Suarez was through on goal in the fifth minute and in the process of rounding the Sunderland goalkeeper, Simon Mignolet, when he was floored by a clip to the heels from Kieran Richardson.[LNB]'You don't like to see people sent off but decisions should depend on what it says in the rule book,' said Dalglish.[LNB]'It was a clear goalscoring opportunity. Nine and a half times out of 10, Kieran would be off. We need clear guidelines.'[LNB]Dalglish's counterpart, Steve Bruce, claimed the referee's decision was 'spot on' and that Suarez was headingaway from goal when fouled. But he did concede: 'On another day it could have been a red card.'[LNB]In the event, Richardson stayed on the pitch and Suarez wasted the subsequent penalty by blazing it into Row Z although both men were involved again in the 12th minute when Liverpool did go ahead.[LNB] King Luis: Andy Carroll (centre) congratulates his strike partner[LNB][LNB][LNB][LNB]Suarez had drawn a foul from Wes Brown out on the right. Adam curled a left-foot free-kick from 30 yards into the area, where Suarez was farquicker to respond than his flat-footed marker Richardson. Suarez steered a header inside the post to Mignolet's left. [LNB][LNB] Penalty miss: Suarez skies his spot-kick[LNB] [LNB][LNB]The equaliser came 12 minutes into the second half after Asamoah Gyan ran to the byline and fed a pass backto Ahmed Elmohamady, who crossed from the right. Larsson's superb first-time angled volley prompted delight from the visiting fans behind that goal.[LNB][LNB] Anfield sandwich: Liverpool new men Stewart Downing (left) and Charlie Adam (right) close in on Sunderland's Jack Colback[LNB] [LNB] [LNB]However this season transpires, a top-four finish and signs of renewal would be well received by Liverpool's long-suffering supporters.[LNB]This time last year, Roy Hodgson was in the dug-out without much backing from the Kop, and the despised Tom Hicks and George Gillett still owned the club.[LNB][LNB]Interested spectator: Liverpool owner John W Henry watches with his wife[LNB][LNB][LNB]Financial administration was still a theoretical possibility and a smalltime Oriental businessman called Kenny Huang was supposedly leading the charge to take control with help from the Chinese government.[LNB]That proved to be fantasy and the club ended up in the hands of another 'red' powerbroker John W Henry, owner of the Boston Red Sox and a huge fan of sabermetrics, which is theanalysis of baseball through statistics.[LNB][LNB] Busy summer: Both Kenny Dalglish (left) and Steve Bruce (right) fielded several debutants[LNB] [LNB][LNB]Some of the key summer signings were approved because statistics backed up Kenny Dalglish's belief they will fit the bill in his new-look Liverpool side.[LNB]In an interview in America this week,Henry's right-hand man, Tom Werner, explained that where sabermetrics dictate the need to get more runners on base (and creating 'scoring' chances), so in football Liverpool need players who provide assists and make chances.[LNB][LNB] Super Seb: Sebastian Larsson volleys home Liverpool's equaliser[LNB] [LNB][LNB]Statistics from last season showed that new recruits Downing, Adam and Henderson each created close to twice as many chances per game than the average Premier Leaguemidfielder.[LNB]On other days, that may well pay off in points.[LNB] Debut to remember: Larsson wheels away in celebration[LNB] Liverpool v Sunderland: How the action unfolded at AnfieldWatch all the Premier League goals every week on our brilliant video playerClick here for the latest Premier League table, fixtures and resultsAll the latest Liverpool news, features and opinionAll the latest Sunderland news, features and opinion [LNB]
