Liverpool 2 Sunderland 2: Liverpool display soft underbelly after appearing affected by fans walkout

If there was a ever a match which exhibited Liverpool’s soft defensive underbelly then this was it.  Yes, there were underlying factors with an estimated ten thousand walking out on 77 minutes – but if you think I am going to provide that as excuse for Liverpool folding like a poker player you have another thing coming.

The new ticketing price structure which means a rise for match day tickets in the lower-tier of the new Main Stand to £77 and the sudden disproportionate price rise for ticket-holders seated in the same area to over £1,000 is unfair. It is well documented that the corporate areas in the stand will more than pay for the new stand and the fact teams will receive record money from the new television deal points greedy fingers directly at owners.

In the match itself Liverpool were good for 77 minutes plus against a Sunderland side determined to keep it tight by defending deep, restricting Liverpool for room and playing on the break.  Van Aanholt should have at least made Mignolet work early shooting wide.  The goalkeeper did nothing to calm nerves with his lax attempted clearance closed down.

Fans show their disgust with the decision to raise prices

Alberto Moreno storming down the left saw his pacey cross come within inches of he head of Lallana.  Moreno continuing his brief to get forward overlapping Henderson saw his low shot well saved by the feet of Mannone. Liverpool were on top with good tempo and threatening the goal.

Firmino, Liverpool’s best player, flashed a shot just over and Moreno stooping low headed over Lallana’s cross 6 yards out.

The luckless Joe Allen, “the Welsh Sturridge” with his injury problems  again failed to finish 90 minutes being replaced by Jordon Ibe.  Moreno continuing to pour forward saw his skimming cross slide across the goalmouth after being put in by the impressive Firmino.  The Brazilian the prime instigator of anything good nutmegged the defender before shooting narrowly wide.

Liverpool’s creative force was not to be denied. Fastening on to a superb curling cross by Milner to the far post the striker buried the ball in stunning fashion into the far post.  It was the kind of header which will have had Benteke asking “why not me?

Jordon Ibe was helping to make the difference adding pace and helping Liverpool to stretch the game, came close slicing inside before seeing his shot deflected over.

Sunderland were keeping Liverpool honest and van Aanolt with the goal at his mercy, inexplicably shot wide.

Liverpool were seemingly home and hosed when man of the match  Firmino stormed into the area and unselfishly rolled the ball to Adam Lallana to score his second league goal of the season.

Fully five minutes after the walkout Mignolet may as well have followed the ten thousand or so fans who made their way out when he inexplicably failed to keep out Adam Johnson’s free-kick.

Liverpool began to feel the pressure having not won at home in 2016 Lucas Leiva replaced Jordan Henderson and whether this sent out the correct message is open to question as in the dying embers of the game and with very few leaders in the squad is it not unreasonable to expect Henderson to galvanise his team?

If the substitute was meant to provide cover for the centre-half’s it failed ignominiously.  A minute before the end of normal time Defoe turned Sakho too easily before slamming home and ending Liverpool’s quest for a first clean in the Premier League this year.

Man of the match: Roberto Firmino – light years ahead of any Liverpool player on the pitch, looked up for it from until the walk-out.  Was unselfish in the extreme when playing in Lallana and his headed goal exuded quality, rising to head the ball back across the goal into the far corner.

Critical eye:  Liverpool were good value for their two-nil lead, but what came after the walkout was a horror show.  Granted concentration will have wavered seeing the fans walkout, but we only had to see the game out.

Mignolet’s mistake provided the impetuous for Sunderland to get back in the game and the only reason one sees him remaining in the goal is  his experience, because he has been very poor this season, which is in essence an understatement.

One wonders whether Joe Allen’s injury has hasten his departure as he was already in the last chance saloon with Dejan Lovren.

Liverpool lack leaders.  Sakho has his qualities and does have a future, but I vehemently believe that Liverpool need a centre-half alongside him whose main attribute is defending rather than looking comfortable on the ball.

If Jordan Henderson isn’t fit why is he on the pitch because he is offering very little and it’s not great to have the club captain hauled off at critical times and fit or not the question is should Henderson be captain of Liverpool Football Club?

With Sturridge on the bench it will be interesting to see if he’s again on the bench in Tuesday’s replay at West Ham or starts ahead or with Benteke.

One can only hope Jurgen Klopp hospitalised with emergency appendectomy (he will also miss Tuesday’s FA Cup replay) didn’t have a set a back watching the debacle of his team crumbling in the last throes.

Teams:

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 2 Clyne, 6 Lovren (Kolo Toure – 12 mins), 17 Sakho, 18 Moreno, 14 Henderson (Lucas – 86 mins), 23 Can, 24 Allen (Ibe – 45+2 mins), 7 Milner, 11 Firmino, 20 Lallana

Subsitutes: 4 Kolo Toure, 9 Benteke, 15 Sturridge, 21 Lucas, 33 Ibe, 38 Flanagan, 52 Ward

Sunderland: 25 Mannone, 2 Jones (Yedlin – 75 mins), 23 Kone, 16 O’Shea, 3 van Aaanot, 27 Kirchoff (Johnson – 66 mins), 41 Watmore – N’Doye – 26 mins), 6 Cattermole, 21 M’Vila, 22 Khazri, 18 Defoe

Substitutes: 5 Brown, 8 Rodwell, 10 N’Doye, 11 Johnson, 13 Pickford, 20 Tolvonen, 24 Yedlin

Referee: Robert Medley

Attendance: 44,179