Liverpool needed a late own goal to rescue a point after Sunderland threatened to pile even more pressure on Arne Slot at Anfield on Wednesday night
Chemsdine Talbi runs to celebrate after scoring for Sunderland against Liverpool
Chemsdine Talbi runs to celebrate after scoring for Sunderland against Liverpool
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Sunderland came within nine minutes of piling more pressure on Liverpool head coach Arne Slot. Chemsdine Talbi’s 67th-minute goal threatened to shock the defending Premier League champions.
However, Florian Wirtz helped to rescue his side a point when his shot deflected in off Nordi Mukiele. But Sunderland’s opener at Anfield was more than deserved.
Regis Le Bris once again got his tactics spot on, and joining the Sunderland supporters in the away end was Kevin Phillips. The former forward scored 130 goals in 235 games for the Black Cats.
And he was as delighted as the thousands who had made the trip to Merseyside when Talbi's strike flew past Alisson Becker and into the Liverpool net. Despite missing the chance to snatch their first league win at Anfield since 1983, Black Cats boss Le Bris was satisfied with the result.
Former Sunderland forward Kevin Phillips in the away end at Anfield
Former Sunderland Kevin Phillips in the away end at Anfield
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He said: "I am not disappointed because it is a point away at Anfield. It is a privilege to play our football here.
"After a good first half, we spoke at half-time and said that it was possible to push a little more because we played well - we just needed the belief that we could score.
"As expected, the opponent came back into the game with substitutes and the crowd but we defended well and had a chance to score the second goal after their equaliser but it wasn’t to be.
"We always try until the end but it wasn’t an easy situation for Wilson (Isidor). It was a one-vs-one - he gave his best but it wasn’t enough.
"We were good for the opening phase but after that you need to break the defence and create chances. We didn’t do that enough in the first half.
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"We were maybe a bit surprised to have controlled the game so we told the players to believe and push more because it was possible to score."
Before he added: "Our ability to learn is one of the main strengths of this team. They are humble and they want to learn. In such a difficult league, if you don’t learn every day then it is impossible to sustain the level."
While Liverpool boss Slot said: "A game where we didn't concede a lot or create a lot and were really unlucky with the goal we conceded. It was a deflection and could have gone anywhere but in the period we are in, it went in."
On his side's goal, Slot admitted: "That was lucky as well but it was a chance that he might have been. Not a lot of chances for both teams. We were very unlucky in the second half. In one moment we conceded but we came back strong."