"For more than an hour at the Stadium of Light, it looked like it was going to be a familiar story for Liverpool. Arne Slot's men arrived on Wearside aiming to do what no team had done before in the Premier League this season: beat newly promoted Sunderland at their home stadium. Both Arsenal and Manchester City had already tried and failed to do so."
"For 61 minutes, the hosts looked set to extend their impressive home record as they stood firm in the face of near-constant Liverpool pressure. But then there was Virgil van Dijk, rising highest to nod home what would be the winning goal in a steely 1-0 victory for the Premier League champions. It was not a vintage display, by any means, but it showcased a collective sense of grit and determination that too often has been in short supply for Liverpool this term."
Liverpool earned a 1-0 victory at Sunderland when Virgil van Dijk rose to head the winning goal, ending a stalemate that lasted more than an hour. Sunderland resisted sustained Liverpool pressure for 61 minutes and maintained a strong home record against top sides. The win relied on physicality and determination rather than flair, epitomized by Alexis Mac Allister's late full-blooded tackle. The result moves Liverpool closer to Champions League contention, leaving them three points behind fourth-placed Manchester United and two behind Chelsea. Recent dropped points by rivals sharpened the contest for qualification. Pressure on manager Arne Slot had been intensified by a recent home collapse.
Read at ESPN.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]