(S.A.S.) Sturridge and Suarez prove the difference: Sunderland 1 Liverpool 3

After back to back losses in the League and the Capital One Cup, Rodgers picked an unchanged line-up with Suarez (his first league match since 21 April) and Sturridge leading the line and Toure, Sakho and Skrtel the three centre-halfs in attendance, with Jordan Enrique and Henderson looking to provide width.

Both teams started brightly, with Sunderland dominating possession.  Suarez, with a trade mark run and shot across the goal looked decidedly sharp moving easily across the frontline.  Steven Gerrard, after Sturridge had been brought down just outside the area, had his free-kick saved smartly low-down by Westwood with Skrtel sweeping in the rebound, but the Slovakian captain had encroached into an off-side area.

Liverpool struggled to live with the expected frenzied start following DiCanio’s dismissal and we were fortunate not to go behind to Larsson’s stunning free-kick which beat Mignolet all-ends up before thudding against the bar.

Daniel Sturridge, lucky though he may have been with the ball coming off his arm, showed how priceless it is to have a natural poacher in the ranks.    Sunderland dominating possession committed the cardinal sin of leaving the league’s hottest striker alone to appear to nod home to give his team the lead.

The second goal, when it arrived, was magnificent in its simplicity and pure class, manufactured by Liverpool’s three creative architects.  Pouncing from the break-down of another Sunderland attack, Steven Gerrard with a stunning 70 yard cross-field diagonal pass to the feet of Daniel Sturridge, who controlled beautifully with the touch concert pianist, left Carlos Cuellar trailing with a turn of pace to get to the by-line and delivered a tailored cross with the outside of his left foot for Luis Suarez to tap home, his sixth goal in six appearances against Sunderland in the Premiership.

 

Luis Suarez celebrates his second and Liverpool's third

Mignolet after some decidedly shaky moments under the high ball produced a superb save with his feet to keep Craig Gardner’s shot out, after Lee Cattermole subtle dink over the top.

The second-half started as much of the first-half had been with Sunderland, looking lively, but against the run of play from a Gerrard corner, the ball fell to Suarez who inexplicably volleyed wide.

With Liverpool sitting back and Sunderland looking to get back into the game, Adam Johnson shot just wide from long range.   Warning not heeded, we allowed Ki sung-Yeung time and space to fire off a shot, which Mignolet disappointingly palmed into the path of Giaccherini to coolly dispatch home.

Not for the first time this season the midfield failed to control the game in the second-half allowing the game to become far to open.  Liverpool’s attempted to impose their passing game on the home side to alleviate the pressure and take the sting out of the game.  A stinging drive from Moses which Westwood tipped over and Suarez coming within inches of getting on to a whipped Enrique cross was the result of our attempt to retain possession.

Sunderland gathered themselves for a last ditch effort with Jozy Altidore’s attempt the pick tested Simon Mignolet, but that was to be the nearest Sunderland would get.

Mignolet set up a quick counter-attack with a throw out to Suarez, the Uruguayan found Sturridge with a pass which took the striker in the area and for the second time in the match he fed the ball into Suarez to seal the points and move Liverpool second in the table.

Man of the Match: Daniel Sturridge – No surprise he went down with cramp towards the end of the game as the striker led the line manfully, running the channels and holding the ball up for the midfield to join up with the attack.

His link up play with Suarez was devastating and he was the creative force behind both of Suarez goals, showing an innate sense of his partner’s movements in the last third.

Critical Eye:  Liverpool overcame the obvious threat from Sunderland looking to use the bounce factor from caretaker manager Kevin Ball.

Brendan Rodger’s team are playing more of counter-attacking game which is probably due to injuries and the lack of real strength in depth in the midfield area.  The positive aspect is that we continue to pound out results away from home even when patently not playing well, showing grit, resilience and determination to see the job through.

One has to agree with manager’s team picks, as his selections are getting the best out of what he has available, whether what he has available is down to his lack of foresight in the transfer market is a conversation for another day.  We have top quality forwards and it is that which is our enabler at the moment in tandem with the defensive unit.

Right now, we are second in the league and could so easily have been top, but its early days and as Sturridge says, we have to take it one game at a time… the old Liverpool mantra.

Team: 22 Mignolet, 4 Toure, 17 Sakho, 37 Skrtel, 3 Jose Enrique, 8 Gerrard, 14 Henderson, 21 Lucas, 7 Suarez, 12 Moses (Sterling – 75 min), 15 Sturridge

Substitutes: 1 Jones, 5 Agger, 25 Ilori, 47 Wisdom, 31 Sterling, 33 Ibe, 9 Abe

Referee: Howard Webb

Attendance: 41, 415

Major Plaudits:  To the Liverpool Ladies who beat Bristol with goals from Louise Fors (penalty) and Katrin Omarsdottir to win the first Women’s Super League title.

With only two losses in 14 games we have taken on the mantle from Arsenal as the top team in the country.  Matt Beard deserves huge praise for managing his team to success going into the match knowing that a Bristol win would have seen the South West team usurp Liverpool to become champions.