Source: Daily_Mail
Liverpool 2 Sunderland 0: Ngog helps to lift the mood for mournful Kop
David Ngog dispersed some of the gloom over Anfield - for the time being, at least - by launching Liverpool to an overdue win with his first goal in the Premier League.
The £1.5million summer signing from Paris Saint-Germain lifted the mood with a close-range finish in the 52nd minute and Yossi Benayoun lightened it still further by cashing in on a goalkeeping clanger by Marton Fulop 13 minutes later to see off Sunderland.
There had been little to cheer about up to Ngog's breakthrough, though, as the realisation that the title had eluded them once more led to leaden legs on the pitchand a subdued atmosphere off it.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had done his best to dampen talk of his side being champions-elect by insisting titles cannot be won in February.
Maybe not, but they can be lost before the year's shortest month is out.
Liverpool have proved that by following three draws in January with an equally costly Anfield stalemate with Manchester City and defeat at Middlesbrough, leaving defending champions United within sight of the finishing line.
Suddenly, after all the uncertainty over Rafa Benitez's future and his unequivocal statement at the Bernabeu that he would not be quitting, it was an air of resignation, rather than talk of one, that dominated proceedings.
At least, that was how it seemed as Liverpool laboured their way through a listless first half to a background of near silence.
Seldom can there have been such a flat 45 minutes at Anfield, a mournful recognition that the title had passed them by for another year.
For the seventh time in their last 15 home games, Liverpool failed to score in the first half. Not only that, they scarcely looked like scoring as Ngog struggled to find his feet in only his second League start of the season and Dirk Kuyt offered little threat alongside him.
Worryingly, they fared little better at the other end as Sunderland passed up a glorious chance in the fourth minute.
Martin Skrtel had been as culpable as Xabi Alonso for Middlesbrough's opening goal on Saturday as he inexplicably ducked under a corner and left his startled teammate unable to avoid diverting it past Pepe Reina.
He was hardly any more assured as Kenwyne Jones seized possession on halfway, brushed past Jamie Carragher with ease and gave Skrtel the slip just as comfortably before bearing down on goal.
With both central defenders trailing in his wake, the finish should have been a formality, only for Jones to mishit his shot and see it bounce to safety off the advancing Reina's leg.
Sunderland have responded positively to Ricky Sbragia's appointment as full-time successor to Roy Keane and it was apparent in the way they hurled themselves in the way of everything Liverpool could throw at them in the first half.
Their defiance almost rebounded on them in the 31st minute, though, when Grant Leadbitter launched himself into the path of an Albert Riera drive but managed only to change its trajectory from one corner of the goal to the other.
Fulop spared his team-mate's blushes with a swift change of direction of his own, palming the deflected shot round the post at full stretch in his only meaningful save of the half.
How the game, and Liverpool in particular, needed a goal, and Benitez would have been as relieved as anyone when it finally arrived, courtesy of Ngog's right boot.
The 19-year old represents Benitez's eye for a bargain but has yet to deliver on a scale that might justify the Liverpool manager's high hopes for him.
He persevered, at least, and was rewarded as Liverpool continued to look to the flanks for a way round a massed Sunderland rearguard and saw it pay dividends in the 52nd minute as Riera, for once, accelerated past his marker and reached the bye-line.
Steven Gerrard read the script with all his usual intuition as he powered towards the far post to meet the cross with a header that Ngog swept home from the edge of the six-yard area.
Given Liverpool's faltering form at home in recent weeks, a second goal was always likely to be needed to settle any nerves and remove a Sunderland comeback from the list of likely options.
It duly arrived, but only with a huge helping hand from Fulop, who continues to keep Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon on the sidelines.
Not for much longer, surely, after his clanger in the 65th minute that handed the ever-industrious Benayoun Liverpool's second on a plate.
When the ball spun into the air off a defender's head, Ngog hooked it towards goal for what should have been a comfortable catch by the Sunderland keeper.
To the consternation of his teammates, he spilled it at the feet of Benayoun, who could hardly miss from six yards.
