Rafa Benitez’s vastly improved squad showed further evidence they will be title contenders this season with a good win over Sunderland in the Saturday lunchtime kick off.
Momo Sissoko scored his first ever goal for the club in the first half and Andriy Voronin added a second five minutes from time – but it could and maybe should have been more with Fernando Torres causing the Black Cats defence problems throughout and keeper Craig Gordon denying the Spaniard expertly on several occasions.
Benitez handed Voronin and winger Ryan Babel their Premier League debuts, and Sissoko replaced injured skipper Gerrard in midfield. Sami Hyypia came in for Daniel Agger at the back.
Voronin almost opened the scoring within the first 30 seconds, taking advantage of a sloppy pass at the back he got in on Voronin but Gordon denied him what would have been a dream start.
The opening 20 minutes saw neither side on top but Sami Hyypia took a blow when Daryl Murphy collided with him and eventually was replaced by Agger. Hyypia had in fact broke his nose but isn’t expected to face any time on the sidelines. Which is fortunate as Jamie Carragher later had to be taken off after bruising his ribs and could face a spell out. The Reds finished the match with Arbeloa and Agger at the back.
Liverpool came into the game looking for their 7,000th League goal – and it was supplied by an unlikely candidate. Momo Sissoko, stepping into Gerrard’s boots alongside Alonso, was eager to impress and followed up some good runs with a super strike from the edge of the box to put Liverpool ahead. It was a good move which started with Babel dropping the ball back to Alonso who sprayed the ball across to the back post, Pennant knocked it back and Sissoko ran on to finish into the bottom corner with a finish his skipper would have been pleased with. A nice way to open his scoring account at the club!
Throughout the match Torres impressed with his work rate and proved again he is completely up for the challenge and the physical side of the English game. He linked up well with Voronin with the Ukranian often dropping off and supplying the passes for Torres. Just as he did right before half time when Torres met the cross with a firm header from close range but Gordon was big in goal and blocked when maybe Torres should have scored.
It was Torres who proved the biggest threat in the second half too, brushing aside Nosworthy and using his pace to get away, but Gordon denied him with a good save as he came out to meet the big name signing.
The match was wrapped up when Torres turned provider for Voronin – as he had done a few minutes earlier but again Gordon saved – but this time Torres laid off for Voronin who cut inside and hit across Gordon into the opposite bottom corner.
With Liverpool cruising at 2-0 Torres and Voronin again broke with a 2 on 1 but Voronin attempted to give his strike partner the goal only for the pass to be cut out.
A pleasing performance, with only Carragher’s potential injury to worry Liverpool fans. The partnership of Torres and Voronin up front was a huge positive, as was Sissoko’s performance, Pennant’s liveliness and Arbeloa’s versatility and defending.
Liverpool’s two biggest problems under Benitez in the Premiership have been their away form and early season form. That’s 2 away wins from 2 so far this season…
Above: Sissoko celebrates his first goal for the club. Below: Voronin scores the deserved second late on.
Andrew Grenfell’s Match Report
Saturday’s lunch time kick off saw Liverpool travel to the Stadium of Light, to face Roy Keane’s Sunderland looking for their 7,000th goal and another 3 points. Liverpool handed first time starts to Ryan Babel and Andrey Voronin, while Momo Sissoko filled in for the absent Steven Gerrard.
Liverpool had a good chance in the opening minute of the game, Greg Halford’s under hit back pass was picked up by Voronin and Voronin raced through to test Craig Gordon early on, the Sunderland keeper trying to justify his £9m price tag. The ball went for a corner, Sami Hyypia volleying goal bound, only for it go for another corner against another Sunderland defender.
Sunderland settled though and Keane’s men soon got down to what they were asked to do. For 35 minutes they harried Liverpool, closing down and chasing every ball trying to bridge the gap in quality. Liverpool suffering disruption losing Hyypia with a broken nose only 10 minutes into the game, Daniel Agger came on to make his 50th appearance. Liverpool created little, stifled by the hard working Sunderland players.
Sunderland nearly got rewards in the 24th minute, brilliant reverse pass from Michael Chopra on 24 minutes carved the pair open. Anthony Stokes, on as a substitute for the injured Kieran Richardson, ran onto the ball, only to see Jose Reina burst off his line quick enough to divert the ball from its goal wards path, and allow Arebola to clear the Liverpool lines.
The break through came for Liverpool in the 37th minute. A well controlled ball to Ryan Babel down the left was flicked to Xabi Alonso, who crossed a lovely diagonal ball to Pennant who was deep on the right hand edge of the Sunderland penalty area, Pennant proceeded to nod the ball over the Sunderland defence and Voronin quickly poked the ball out allowing Momo Sissoko to step onto the ball and fire in a lovely low curling ball into the bottom left corner of Craig Gordon’s goal. His first, Liverpool’s 7,000th!
Liverpool pressed, and instantly settled, and some good passing on stroke of half time nearly allowed a little chipped ball from Pennant to be fired in by the diving head of Fernando Torres, only for Craig Gordon to be equal to the striker’s powerful header.
After the break Liverpool started as they left off, some good passing moves carved out yet more opportunities for Torres. A ball over the top and Torres controlled and raced clean through the middle, a turn of pace allowing to run straight between the two Sunderland centre backs of McShane and Nosworthy, only for Gordon to again be equal to Torres shot.
Torres continued to be the thorn in the Sunderland‘s back fours side, and he along with Voronin, continued to harass and force mistakes. Torres midway through the second half saw Gordon in no mans land and raced in to lob Gordon only to see it bounce just wide of the right post, after he’d reacted to ball from Alonso landed short of Voronin and between the Sunderland defenders.
Liverpool then had some defending to do of there own, a free kick tipped over by Reina who inadvertently caught Jamie Carragher in the ribs with his knee. Carragher looked in pain, and 5 minutes later was replaced by Riise and taken to hospital with suspected broken ribs.
Liverpool stood firm, and Torres was soon at it again ten minutes remaining. A strong, pacey run to the by-line led to a great chance for Voronin to get on the score sheet only for Gordon again to be equal to it.
Time ticked on and Liverpool finally killed the game in the 87th minute. Babel drifted to the right of midfield, and launched a swift counter attack. He collected the ball on half way line on right flank, and set of, a quick one two with Pennant allowed him to cut inside, and his pass found Torres, who looked to shoot, but quickly fooled the Sunderland defence with a perfectly weighted pass, which the Ukrainian striker quickly took a touch inside and fired into the bottom left corner.
Torres wasn’t quite finished though and had one more attempt, racing in on a miss controlled ball by Halford and as ball sat up again tried to lob Gordon, only to see his lob clip the back roof of the net having gone over.
Liverpool win with a good solid performance and everyone will be pleased with what could have been a banana skin for Benitez’s usually poor away performers.
Man of the Match: Momo Sissoko
Match Facts
Sunderland:
Gordon, Halfrod, Nosworthy, McShane, Williams, Miller, Yorke (Leadbitter 61), Etuhu, Richardson (Stokes 20), Chopra, Murphy (Connolly 76)
Subs not used: Ward, Anderson
Booked: Etuhu 27
Scorers: –
Liverpool:
Reina, Finnan, Carragher (Riise), Hyypia (Agger 16), Arbeloa, Pennant, Sissoko, Alonso, Babel (Kuyt 88), Torres, Voronin
Subs not used: Itandje, Mascherano
Booked: Arbeloa 67
Scorers: Sissoko 37, Voronin 87
Referee: Mark Halsey
Attendance: 45,645
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