skip to content

  • Kick-off: 15:15
  • Venue: Anfield
  • Attendance: 44913
  • Referee: Knight, B

Live Commentary

90mins

The referee blows up for full time.

88mins

Nyron Nosworthy is booked following a late tacle on John Arne Riise.

87mins

John Arne Riise waists a good opportunity when shooting high over the bar.

84mins

Tommy Miller almost grabs an equaliser for Sunderland when flashing a long-range shot just over.

80mins

Martin Woods comes on to replace Carl Robinson.

76mins

Milan Baros comes on to replace Djibril Cisse.

74mins

Luis Garcia goes close when heading Xabi Alonso's cross just over the bar.

73mins

Andy Welsh is sent off following a clash with Luis Garcia.

69mins

Sunderland go close to equalising but Chris Brown just fails to get on the end of Andy Welsh's corner.

68mins

Sunderland make a change with Stephen Elliott coming on for Liam Lawrence.

68mins

Chris Brown also comes on to replace Andy Gray.

64mins

Djibril Cisse has the ball in the back of the net but the goal is ruled out for offside.

63mins

John Arne Riise comes on to replace Boudewijn Zenden.

59mins

Boudewijn Zenden fires in a curling shot that goes just wide of the far post.

56mins

Djibril Cisse goes close with a flashing volley that flies just wide.

53mins

Liverpool force a corner but Xabi Alonso's kick comes to nothing.

52mins

Liverpool make a change with Luis Garcia replacing Steven Gerrard.

50mins

Djibril Cisse goes clean through for Liverpool but can only shoot high over the bar.

48mins

Boudewijn Zenden goes close but can only direct his header straight at Kelvin Davis.

46mins

The second half gets underway with Liverpool immediately forcing a corner which is cleared.

45mins

The referee blows up for half-time.

44mins

Sunderland force two late corners but Liverpool clear the danger.

42mins

Liverpool win a free-kick but Steven Gerrard's kick to the far post is cleared.

40mins

Steve Finnan fires in a fierce shot that is well saved by Kelvin Davis.

37mins

Dean Whitehead whips in a dangerous cross but Jose Manuel Reina is on hand to snuff out the danger.

35mins

Mohamed Sissoko is booked for unsporting behaviour.

32mins

Liverpool break but Steven Gerrard's cross is poor and the danger passes.

28mins

Sunderland start to apply some pressure and win another corner but again Liverpool clear the danger.

27mins

Dean Whitehead cuts the ball back into the Liverpool box but nobody is on hand to apply the finish.

25mins

Sunderland win a corner but Jose Manuel Reina is on hand to punch clear Andy Welsh's cross.

23mins

From the free-kick Liverpool take the lead when Xabi Alonso curles the ball home.

22mins

Carl Robinson is booked after hacking down Boudewijn Zenden 30 yards out.

20mins

Andy Welsh whips in the free-kick but Liam Lawrence's header is cleared by Liverpool.

19mins

Steven Gerrard is booked following a late tackle on Andy welsh.

17mins

Djibril Cisse misses an absolute sitter when he fails to connect from one yard out following Boudewijn Zenden's cross.

14mins

Boudewijn Zenden should have given Liverpool the lead but could only place his header wide of the post following a great cross by Steve Finnan.

12mins

Gary Breen is booked following a tackle on Fernando Morientes.

10mins

Sunderland go close at the other end as Andy Welsh whips in a cross but Andy Gray fails to direct his header on target.

7mins

Liverpool win a free-kick 25 yards out from goal, Djibril Cisse fires in the shot that is well held by Kelvin Davis.

4mins

Steven Gerrard whips in the corner and Fernando Morientesis unlucky to see his header go just wide.

3mins

Steven Gerrard tries to pick out Fernando Morientes but his cross takes deflection before hitting the bar and going out for a corner.

0mins

After a 15 minute delay the referee blows up to get the game underway.

Match Report

A beautifully curled free-kick from Xabi Alonso was enough to give Liverpool a 1-0 victory over Sunderland at Anfield, condemning the Black Cats to their 17th straight Premiership defeat.

The Spanish pass-master's 25-yard effort was a saving grace for the Reds who again squandered countless chances in the face of some spirited resistance from ten-man Sunderland.

They had Andy Welsh harshly sent off for kicking out at Luis Garcia, while Steven Gerrard was lucky to escape a second yellow card for a late lunge on Alan Stubbs.

The midweek rumour mill had Djibril Cisse facing the Anfield exit door, but Reds boss Rafa Benitez, who asserted his desire to hold onto the Frenchman in favour of a move for Michael Owen on Friday, rewarded him for some excellent pre-season form with a place in the starting line-up.

However, after Cisse missed a glut of chances many Reds fans may be even more desperate to see the return of the prodigal son, as they edged to victory.

After his side squandered countless opportunities last week in a goalless draw with Middlesbrough, Benitez chose to replace Luis Garcia with Cisse on the right with skipper Gerrard operating behind misfiring Spaniard Fernando Morientes.

For the Black Cats, former Everton stalwart Stubbs made a hasty return to Merseyside to bolster the defence. Former Anfield defender Stephen Wright was ruled out through last week's horror tackle from Darren Ambrose.

After a 15-minute delay due to crowd congestion, a rabid Anfield blew the roof off the place with a rousing welcome for the new European Champions, as the Kop unveiled a mosaic in support of Michael Shields, the Liverpool fan jailed in Bulgaria for an attack on a barman he insists he did not commit.

The Reds almost had the lead within three minutes. A cross from Gerrard evaded everyone including keeper Kelvin Davis as the ball struck the post. Morientes put a fine header just wide from the resulting corner.

Sunderland passed the ball relatively well early on and looked dangerous on the break, while never threatening Jose Reina's goal. Gerrard was booked for a late lunge on Andy Gray as the Black Cats pressed for an unlikely goal.

Meanwhile, Liverpool had further chances through Gerrard and Cisse before they finally had their lead on 24 minutes.

A silly lunge on Bolo Zenden by Carl Robinson was punished immaculately by the imperious Alonso, who curled a 25-yard free-kick past Davis.

Sunderland nearly hit back immediately as Dean Whitehead latched onto Welsh's fine throughball and got in behind Stephen Warnock, but the cross was cleared off the line by Steve Finnan as Gray lurked.

The visitors also had a decent penalty shout when the ball hit Momo Sissoko on the hand, before Whitehead clipped the bar with a cross.

Liverpool reaffirmed their supremacy after the break as a beautifully worked array of one-touch passing almost allowed Morientes in, but Stubbs cleared the danger well.

Gerrard was fortunate to remain on the pitch after a late challenge on Stubbs left him perilously close to a second yellow card. He was then substituted for Luis Garcia - a wise move by Benitez.

A mistake by Gary Breen gave Cisse yet another clean strike on goal, but he volleyed wide with the goal at his mercy – a terrible waste. The Frenchman then had a goal ruled out for offside.

After Gerrard went off Sunderland showed more spirit but little substance as their hard work failed to threaten Reina's goal. Any chance they had of getting back into the game was snuffed out with Welsh's harsh sending-off.

A scrappy win in the end for Liverpool and it won't have gone unnoticed across the country just how much their performance deteriorated when Gerrard left the pitch.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Xabi Alonso (Liverpool) – The classy Spaniard was behind all of Liverpool's best moments and his cool finish spared the Reds' blushes against their ten-man visitors.

Liverpool Team

Sunderland Team

Liverpool

Sunderland

Corners

55

Fouls

820

Goal attempts

152

Shots off target

92

Offsides

23

advertisement

advertisement