"Anfield, the name alone usually sends a shiver through the spine of teams standing in the tunnel at the famous ground. For Sunderland however, and others that have gone there this season, it seems that fear factor has been lost. Take the opening 20 minutes at Anfield on Wednesday night as Sunderland controlled the hosts, not only keeping them at bay but probing them when it suited."
"Slot's side were turgid and the goal had to spring them into life. The Dutchman eventually saw enough and brought in the changes -- Mohamed Salah, again left on the bench to start the game, came on to increase the tempo at half-time. Slot, after the game, was clear on what Cody Gakpo had to be taken off. "In my opinion, Cody struggled to dominate the 1v1s," he said."
Sunderland dominated the early stages at Anfield, controlling possession and probing Liverpool during the opening 20 minutes. Liverpool appeared slow, ponderous and nervous apart from Dominik Szoboszlai, with the home side struggling to match Sunderland's energy. Sunderland finished the first half stronger and continued to attack with vigour in the second, forcing Liverpool into eventual substitutions. Chemsdine Talbi's deflected strike gave Sunderland the lead and silenced the crowd. Sunderland's energy, aggression and hunger contrasted sharply with Liverpool's turgidity. Arne Slot reacted angrily to careless possession, brought on Mohamed Salah at half-time, and later criticized Cody Gakpo's 1v1 effectiveness.
Read at ESPN.com
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