Sunderland Goal: Steven Fletcher (29)
Liverpool Goal: Luis Suarez (71)
Getting back to football after the events of the last week felt very strange. Normally I would have been very excited, nervous even at the prospect of playing such a tough away game at what's already becoming an important part of the campaign. Instead there was a certain amount of numbness, that as the game drew ever closer became very real. Still, every point gained is crucial and as such this could prove to be a valuable one later on in the season.
As far as the line-ups were concerned, it was very encouraging to see Jonjo Shelvey get a starting place ahead of Nuri Sahin both because that our Turkish midfielder looked like he would need time to get match fit against Arsenal and likewise that Shelvey earned his place in the team. With the calls for justice echoing around the Stadium of Light from the away end - warmly received by the Sunderland faithful I might add - the game got under way. It was a high energy start from both teams and we were keen to get it on the floor as quickly as possible and settle into a rhythm. Shelvey in particular was getting involved as often as possible in the opening few minutes, including a half chance where he wasn't closed down quick enough only to drag his shot wide.
Elsewhere in the midfield, Gerrard looked imperious and authoritative. A world away from the sloppiness of his performances for both club and country in the previous seven days his passing was crisp and tidy, a very good sign so early on in the game. In an attacking sense while we had a lot of early possession, Borini was somewhat isolated up front as we weren't as keen to play it out wide as in previous games. As the first ten minutes elapsed, on only one occasion did either full back manage to make any in road but we were unable to make anything count. For the most part however things were comfortable, to the point where we looked like the home team and in spite of their attempts to put us out of our rhythm were very comfortable keeping the ball in and around the first two thirds of the pitch.
Off the ball, the pressing of Sunderland as high up the pitch as possible was as visible as I can remember it. There was never a case of Borini or Sterling alone trying to force the defender into a mistake, it would always be backed up by a midfielder and as such gave Sunderland no time at all to think about what they were doing, let alone settle. Without overtly dominating the game, we were doing a great job of keeping the opposition at arms length while waiting for the right opportunity to create something of note. For the first fifteen minutes, Martin O'Neill's team had barely had a sight on Pepe Reina's goal such was the effective combination of pressure off the ball and calmness with it.
One thing that did catch my eye was Fabio Borini, starting this game in a more central role than he had been previously. The first thing that comes to mind is his energy and stellar work rate, for there were two or three occasions where he'd sprint full on twenty to thirty yards just to slow one of their midfielders down a little. He also reads the game magnificently, as was typified by when Carlos Cuéllar tried to head back to his goalkeeper only for Borini to get onto it and force Mignolet into a sharp save. Had it been in more of a central area, it would have almost certainly led to the opening goal but the header was at such an angle that Fabio had no choice but to hit it right at the goalkeeper.
Just before we reached the twenty minute mark and Sunderland had their first sight of goal. Having not been able to create anything, it was a set piece by Seb Larsson that curled wickedly right at the end and could have embarrassed Reina with just a little more bend. At the other end, there was certainly space to exploit between their back four and defence as Shelvey, Borini and Suarez all linked up to force another good save out of Mignolet. At this point, there wasn't so much in the way of build up play by our opposition as lumping the ball into the channels and hoping Steven Fletcher could make something out of it. We were growing in stature and confidence by the minute and though there was no concerted amount of pressure on their goal, we were by far the more threatening of the two teams. Glen Johnson was starting to become more of a factor now, pushing further forward and trying to make himself a nuisance. It was on that side that the opening goal came from. For Sunderland.
After a sloppy period of play in the centre of the park, it was given to Craig Gardner on the right hand side. He tried to take on Suarez and Johnson and managed to get through both of them, with the ball taking a bobble off both of them along the way. To his credit, the ball into the box was played to absolute perfection with Steven Fletcher right on hand to - with what was more or less his first touch - give the Black Cats the lead. I've said before that as a clinical striker I rate Fletcher and though his movement was pretty good I can't help but feel that Skrtel could have done a little better in trying to stop him.
Having given what was - up until that point - a very good away performance we now found ourselves behind. The home crowd at the Stadium of Light was now raised up a vocal level and their players had gone up a gear themselves. Given the circumstances of the match and the timing of the goal, we looked a little rattled and would be incredibly weary of going two goals down. At the other end - having found little joy out wide - Raheem Sterling had drifted inside, taking the more direct approach to goal and earning a free kick in the process. Moments later he was again involved, this time earning a free kick and relieving some pressure from our back line. One of the things that really impresses me about Sterling is that despite his slender frame he is not in any way apprehensive when it comes to getting at the opposition, on both ends of the field. Maybe it's down to his young age and being that fearless but watching him get stuck in on the defensive side of things must be just as encouraging for Brendan Rodgers as all the work he does up front.One thing that certainly needs addressing - one way or another - is the approach by referees to Luis Suarez. With just under ten minutes to go until half time, Suarez tried to dance past John O'Shea only to end up on the floor. Martin Atkinson promptly showed to Uruguayan the yellow card for simulation, much to the delight of the home support. It would have been a harsh penalty but no more than has been already given against us this season and will no doubt be given again - either for or against us - in the future. The easy option is simply to assume it's a dive, not least of all because Suarez does exaggerate - at times comically - the touch but this makes three yellow cards in four Premier League games, not one of which I don't think was for an actual foul. He won't be far off a ban at this rate and at this point, it's unlikely he'd get a penalty if a defender gave him a roundhouse kick to the face so if he is diving then it's pointless - and he must know this.
With the first half winding down, the game had gotten back to the way it was prior to the goal more or less. Sunderland were, naturally uplifted given their position in the match however and pounced on the handful of mistakes that punctuated our otherwise good play. Jonjo Shelvey did manage to create one more chance before the break, having been played down the right hand side his dangerous ball in was achingly close to Fabio Borini before it was cleared at the last moment. At half time it was a painfully similar story, with Liverpool having been comfortable enough to create one or two half chances, being unable to take them and going a goal down at the other end. Nobody said it was going to be easy. Nobody makes it harder than ourselves.
A change in personnel signalled the start of the second half as Sunderland brought on Titus Bramble for Carlos Cuéllar. Sunderland opted to pack the midfield as things go under way and as such we were forced wide with there being no way through. Sterling got involved right away, having numerous touches of the ball in the first five minutes of the half and really making his presence felt. On the other side Glen Johnson was getting forward and becoming a real danger. Following a free kick given for a foul on Suarez his ball into the box was of a great height and weight but there was no-one in there to meet it. He would continue to to be an outlet as we began to get a hold of the game early on the second period, coming closer than anyone to levelling it up when he cut inside and rattled a shot off the bar. Even Martin Kelly was finding the room to get forward a little more now but as has been the case far too often this season we have men in the right areas but lacked the quality to make them count.
Ten minutes into the second half and Sunderland had yet to get started, having been unable to take the ball as far as the half way line. Stéphane Sessègnon then started to get a hold of the ball and force us onto the back foot for the first time. He was being marshaled well by Glen Johnson but at the very least it was a welcome chance for the home side to exert some pressure of their own. The game was opening up now somewhat and becoming rather end to end with Craig Garnder having to carefully watch a header all the way back to his goalkeeper with Sterling ready to pounce before they went down the other end and made Martin Kelly do some defending. It was in this patch of play that we created our best move of the match. Sterling ran down the wing and hanged a ball up for Borini. Mignolet came and punched it only for it to fall at the feet of Shelvey who teed up Steven Gerrard. Having seen this exact situation result in a goal so many times before, it was then painful to see the ball bounce off the post and go wide. Great pressure but again nothing to show for it.
The right hand side had now become the focus of everything with Sterling going up the gears to try and almost take on Sunderland by himself. He was giving Danny Rose a torrid time with not a single moments peace and the two were having a well contested battle on the flank. The need for a change was imminent and so Stewart Downing came on for Borini who despite having a fantastic first half had done very little in the second. Downing's first introduction to the game nearly provided a goal as a corner was half cleared to Steven Gerrard, whose shot was then deflected to the head Martin Skrtel only for Mignolet to gather it. From having been very quiet to begin the game had become rather frantic now with the both the Sunderland crowd and players sensing that we were growing ever dangerous and that they needed a second to keep us at bay.
Just twenty minutes to go now and there was one player on the minds of both teams. For a seventeen year old to be this influential on a Premier League game is quite something but Raheem Sterling may just be that special. He continued to create half chances with the Sunderland defence unable to get the ball off him and was inevitably going to be involved in the equaliser. For once having to face up Danny Rose one on one rather than having to deal with an Aaron McClean double-team, Sterling with a few step overs before dropping his left shoulder and knocking it onto his right side, leaving the defender with a clean pair of heels. His cross found it's way to Suarez whose shot was initially blocked by Titus Bramble only for it to come straight back to him. No second invitation was needed and the ball was then thumped beyond Mignolet to level it up.
Martin O'Neill's reaction was immediate. Danny Rose's last contribution was to be fooled by the trickery of Raheem Sterling as he was taken off, to be replaced by an attacking player in Fraizer Campbell as they looked to regain their lead. It was now their turn to be angered and frustrated from having conceded as the crowd vocalised their disappointment. Watching us knock it around at the back at this point, it struck me how much of a disciplined performance we'd seen from Steven Gerrard. It's been said on numerous occasions, this season more so than ever as we rely on keeping the ball but the way he'd approached the game was exactly what the team needed. He was commanding alongside Joe Allen, who was yet again makes everything seem so effortless. The two of them helped us tick over as we looked to go again, now trying to win the game as opposed to just saving it. Sunderland appeared to have no way out.
Despite having heavy numbers back to help out, still we were able to create chances. Suarez and Shelvey alone were able to out manoeuvre four defenders and force another really good save out of the goalkeeper. Jonjo hadn't had quite the same impact on the game as Sterling but still managed to follow up his performance against Arsenal with another really good game, supporting well from the midfield at all times and creating chances. Whether or not he is rested for the Europa League game, I'm keen to see him get much more playing time as Sahin is slowly bedded in.
Into the last ten minutes and the game was becoming ever more frenetic. Gerrard began to push further up the field for the first time in the match and as such left a few gaps in which they were able to try and counter. There was lots of space all over the park for both teams as O'Neill brought on Saha for Fletcher, who had seen very little of the ball in the second half. Changes in personnel and shape were in effect all over the park with Suarez through the middle, Downing and Sterling had switched sides and Colback having gone from midfield to left back for the home team. There was however, very little in the way of chances as with Sunderland able to get it clear though sheer volume of numbers and on the other side Gerrard keeping the door firmly shut in the face of sporadic counter attacks. A last minute corner provided some tension in the final seconds but Glen Johnson missed his header completely to draw an end to proceedings. It was a hard earned point where there perhaps should have been three and a very encouraging second half performance. Things may not be perfect, but we're getting there. One step at a time.
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