Liverpool verdict from the Stadium of Light as Virgil van Dijk's goal gives the defending Premier League champions a vital 1-0 victory over Sunderland
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 11: Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool scores a goal to make it 0-1 during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Liverpool at Stadium of Light on February 11, 2026 in Sunderland, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Virgil van Dijk heads in Liverpool's winner at Sunderland to bolster the club's Champions League qualification hopes(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
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If you can't beat them, then the best course of action appears to be joining them. Liverpool have been seemingly unwilling to take part in the agricultural revolution taking place in the Premier League this season but on a cold, wet Wednesday up in Sunderland, it was a scrappy set-piece that breathed fresh life into their Champions League hopes.
Virgil van Dijk's second-half header, deflected into the roof of the net via Nordi Mukiele, was enough for Arne Slot's side to take full advantage of the opportunity presented to them by the set of results on Tuesday night.
After the respective draws of Chelsea and Manchester United, this was a chance that Slot simply could let pass him by, so a first away win since Tottenham Hotspur, before Christmas, came at an ideal time.
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The challenge now, having reduced the gap on fourth-placed United to three points, is to reel them in further with a consistent run that has eluded the champions all season.
A top-four battle littered with inconsistencies is where Slot finds himself right now and while there was some factual analysis behind his Tuesday claim that Liverpool are not necessarily a club who relieve managers of their duties if they don't qualify for the Champions League, he needs European Cup participation on his CV as much as the club needs it on the balance sheets. So that's why this 1-0 victory here might prove to be so valuable in the wider picture.
The Reds managed to quieten what was a red-hot crowd at kick-off and had the lion's share of the chances in the first-half. The excellent Florian Wirtz worked goalkeeper Robin Roefs with an effort from 25 yards before the Germany international then struck the post.
Too often, however, Liverpool were guilty of poor decision-making or bad execution when they got to the edge of the Black Cats' penalty area.
Wataru Endo, in for his start of the Premier League season at right-back, wasted a good opening when his ball across the face of the goal was far too close to the goalkeeper, while Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah also saw efforts easily blocked with the Reds unable to make their dominance in the first period count.
Van Dijk gave Liverpool the goal their play deserved after the break when he headed home a corner on the hour mark and while hearts were in mouths in the away end when seven minutes flashed up on the fourth official's board, it never really felt like they were going to fritter away points in stoppage time for a seventh time this term.
But like so often this season, the step forward was followed by one in the opposite direction as Endo became the latest injury casualty. The Japan international appeared to hurt his ankle clearing a dangerous cross around the hour mark and was replaced by Joe Gomez, who returned to the bench after a fortnight out.
Liverpool's right-back curse endures and the failure to bolster the defensive ranks in the January transfer window comes under the microscope once more.
The sight of Endo being taken off in clear discomfort with the help of a stretcher was sad to see and the hope is that it is not as serious as it appeared. It was gutting to see for the away fans who cheered his name as he left and he'd won all seven of his duels up until that point.
Salah and substitute Curtis Jones both had chances in the dying embers but their failure to take them, for once, did not come back to bite them.
It was no classic and it won't live long in the memory but it was a big checkpoint for what is still a new-look Liverpool, developing under Slot. Far too often this season physicality has proved their undoing and an inability to hold on to results has undercut a team who would be third without six stoppage-time collapses.
But full credit here, they stood up to the task and refused to wilt against a battling Sunderland side who have now tasted defeat for the first time this season at this venue.
Even Arsenal and Manchester City were held here so this must be considered a sign of progress.
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