Sunderland vs. Liverpool

The Black Cat's claimed their first victory over a top four team since their return to the Premier League and put Liverpool to distress with their fourth defeat for the season.

Sunderland looked lively from the outset, with Darren Bent and Andy Reid both having chances within the first two minutes, before Liverpool's Glen Johnson hit the visitors first chance wide after a surging run down the right.

Within minutes, the home side countered through Andy Reid after a Liverpool free-kick, and after a Steed Malbranque flick-on Darren Bent did his England chances no harm whatsoever, firing past Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina to put the home side a goal ahead, albeit in somewhat controversial circumstances. The ball appeared to cannon in past Reina after hitting a Liverpool beach ball, but despite Liverpool protests referee Mike Jones allowed the goal to stand.

Liverpool responded well with chances from Martin Skrtel and Ryan Babel having an effort cleared off the line, but the Reds seemed to be struggling with a change in their system with the enforced absences of Torres and Gerrard.

Sunderland's Malbranque continued to cause the visitors all sorts of problems through the midfield as they refused to sit back on their one goal advantage, instead looking to make it two. However the Frenchman gave away a free kick in a dangerous position twenty five minutes in, only for Brazilian Fabio Aurelio to strike narrowly wide.

Liverpool repeatedly found themselves under pressure as Reid, Cattermole and Steed Malbranque got forward to support strikers Bent and Kenwyne Jones as a back three of Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger were swamped by red and white shirts.

Yossi Benayoun, one of Liverpool's few danger men on the day looked to make the home side rue the missed chances as his signature twists and turns produced chances for the Reds, the Israeli striking just over himself.

Benitez made the inevitable changes on 73 minutes,and he threw on strikers Andriy Voronin and David Ngog in a desperate effort to rescue the team to a point.

The final ten minutes were dominated by Liverpool, with Voronin. Johnson, Dirk Kuyt and substitute David Ngog all making Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon work hard, but it was all too little too late for the Reds as they stumbled to their fourth defeat of the season.