Sunderland v Liverpool: live

Sunderland v Liverpool: live

Follow minute-by-minute action of the Premier League game between Sunderland and Liverpool at the Stadium Of Light on Sunday March 20, kick-off 13.30 GMT.

PREVIEW

LIVE

REPORT

SUNDERLAND

0 - 2

FT

LIVERPOOL

Sunday, March 20 13:30

Premier League

Stadium of Light

(HT 0-1)

ATT: 47,207

Kuyt (33)

Luis Suz (77)

 

Image 1 of 2

Hot streak: Dirk Kuyt scores again for Liverpool to give his side a 1-0 lead at the break Photo: GETTY IMAGES

 

Image 1 of 2

Unwelcome visitor: Former Newcastle striker Andy Carroll is in contention for a starting place at the Stadium of Light Photo: AP

By Thom Gibbs 1:00PM GMT 20 Mar 2011

COMMENTARY

KEY MOMENTS

Email Thom Gibbs with your favourite stories that involve beachballs, swimwear or goggles
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15:28: So Sunderland's desperate run continues and Liverpool remember how to do that Big Team thing of winning comfortably without looking very impressive. Suarez and Spearing did very well indeed, Sunderland look like a team that sold their best striker and didn't replace him. Oh...

With that sorted you should now head south with me for Chelsea v Manchester City. This liveblog will self-destruct in 30 seconds.

FULL TIME
That was an uneventful period of stoppage time.

90+1 min: We're into minute one of four that will be added on. A half-empty Stadium of Light shrugs its shoulders like a surly teen.

89 min: Suarez has pulled up, clutching his hamstring. He's coming straight off. That's a tactical shower-reserving "injury" if ever I've seen one. Joe Cole is on. Remember him?

86 min: Telegraph Sport hero Giles Mole thinks one of Liverpool's standout player this afternoon looks like the kid from Shane Meadows' 80s sad-a-thon This Is England. Make your mind up by clicking on hyperlinks: Jay Spearing Angry skinhead

84 min: Suarez's free kick is well over. Maxi Rodriguez is on in place of Meireles.

82 min: RED CARD!!
Mensah, on a booking anyway, tugs Suarez down. He's the last man and gets a straight red. Steve Bruce wishes he was still walking his dogs with Geoff Shreeves. Those were truly the good times.

81 min: Asamoah Gyan wants a fight with Skrtel. He's being led away by Titus Bramble and now the ref is now having a word with the pair of them. Replays show Gyan sticking a finger up Skrtel's nose. That's a novel way to irritate someone.

77 min: GOAL!! Sunderland 0 Liverpool 2 (Suarez)
Superb stuff from the Uruguyan. He receives a throw practically on the byline, shrugs of Bardsley and bears down on goal without even trying to widen the angle. His finish is sublime, hard and high over Mignolet at his near post and nestling in the other side of the goal. Wonderful goal.

74 min: Spearing's superb shot from just outside the box brings another great save out of Mignolet. Corner to Liverpool. It's cleared at the near post.

72 min: Andy Carroll is booed fervently as he's substituted for David Ngog.

70 min: Gyan's cross is missed by Elmohamady. Sunderland desperately need a bit of luck here, they do not look like scoring through their own endeavours. Liverpool are looking feisty on the break.

67 min: The near-side linesman erroneously awards Liverpool a throw when the ball had come off Carragher. The Stadium of Light (UK) is furious. Suarez is booked for dissent shortly afterwards.

65 min: Elmohamady's powerful header is blocked by the chest of Glen Johnson.

64 min: Sky's Rob Hawthorne tell me Lucas has been booked for "consistent fouling" but I saw nothing of the sort. I saw some fould, sure, but no booking.

63 min: Henderson skies a shot from 25 yards. It's half lob, half drive, all rubbish.

61 min: Sunderland make their final sub - Elmohamady on for the slightly limping Welbeck.

60 min: Gyan is well offside, spelling the end of a promising spell of pressure by Sunderland.

58 min: Kevin Phillips talks too much. Bring back Andy Gray, all is forgiven. Well, all apart from the horrendous sexism.

55 min: Suarez's devilishly quick low free kick is just wide.

54 min: Carroll and Bramble race towards a through ball, which Carroll is first to. The ref plays advantage and Meireles squanders a chance. Kevin Friend brings back the play to award a free kick for Bramble's tackle, which seems odd given that Meireles was presented with a chance. Bramble is booked.

53 min: Bardsley plays a pointless ball into the box after cutting inside.

51 min: Sunderland have started this half with intent, but their more frantic approach doesn't really play to their strenghts. They're still failing to ask Liverpool any pertinent footballing questions and now the away side have a corner. Carroll's header at the far post is cleared off the line by Cattermole's thigh! So close.

48 min: Henderson plays a short corner to Ferdinand and immediately gets it back. He floats the ball past the far post, where Malbranque misses the ball completely.

46 min: Second half - it begins. Kevin Phillips says he has watched the penalty incident 10 times and decided the challenge was just outside the box. Poor Sunderland.

HALF TIME
Sunderland were on top before the penalty, which is going to be the subject of plenty of pointless and tiresome debate for the next 18 hours or so. Here's my informed opinion: it was extremely marginal, and impossible to call. Sunderland will need a break to get back into this, they've not shown any signs of being able to get behind Liverpool so far.

45+3 min: Sunderland are playing out this half like they're 3-0 up. Have a word with yourself, pass-happy Sunderland defenders.

45+1 min: We're into the first minute of three that will be added on. After two subs, a goal and a long delay before the penalty I think that's a bit mean.

44 min: Agger blocks consecutive crosses from the right, Henderson then Sessegnon foiled.

42 min: Carroll wins a corner. Meireles takes, Carroll heads over, after muscling off Bramble to leave himself free on the penalty spot.

40 min: Carroll looks rusty. He only just controls a ball from Suarez and his eventual pass back to Spearing has the youngster stretching.

37 min: Luis Suarez lets an artful high through ball bounce twice before setting himself perfectly for a half-volley. Mignolet saves athletically, and Carroll's attempt at slotting in the rebound is straight at him.

36 min: Jordan Henderson puts a free kick from 30 yards harmlessly wide.

33 min: GOAL!!! Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1 (Kuyt)
Kuyt sends Mignolet the wrong way then performs his tribute to Bebeto with a rocking cradle celebration. I assume he's saluting Bebeto rather than a recently-born child.

32 min: PENALTY! Mensah's suicidally poor control on his chest allows Spearing to advance on goal. Mensah hacks him down, the ref initially awards a free kick but the linesman says a penalty. Mensah is booked, the replays suggest that was a free kick.

30 min: Beachball watch: I am yet to see any beachballs.

29 min: Gyan executes a lovely return pass to Welbeck as Sunderland try to break through the back four, but it's just about cut out by Skrtel. All the momentum is with Sunderland but they're yet to force a save from Reina.

26 min: Liverpool are playing impatiently. The trio of Spearing, Meireles and Lucas are doing an effective job of containing Sunderland in midfield, but the home side are knocking it about and making them run. Liverpool when on the ball are trying too many optimistic passes and dribbles and getting nowhere with them.

25 min: A lovely sweeping ball by Henderson finds Bardsley bombing forward on the left flank. His cross is cleared for a throw.

22 min: It not looks like Kieran Richardson is heading off with an unidentifiable injury! Steed Malbranque is on his place. Two enforced subs in the opening quarter of the game for the home side. Come on, fate. Make it a hat trick.

21 min: Mignolet fumbles a ball heading out for a corner and is grounded as Suarez picks up the loose ball. Meireles gets in his way and Sunderland clear for a corner. Suarez gives the impression of a man very annoyed with the standard of his team mates. The corner is cleared.

19 min: Muntari was injured during that last passage of play. Lee Catermole is on in his place.

17 min: Wellbeck's excellent cross evades Richardson and then Glen Johnson as it teases across the six yard box. Liverpool counter with Suarez racing forward, who playes a reverse pass to Carroll. He trots forward and elects to square it to Spearing as he approaches the area. It's a poor ball which Spearing miscontrols. Suarez, in space inside the box, is livid.

16 min: Suarez's attempt to find Kuyt runs through to Mignolet. Pretty tepid start to this match.

14 min: Agger is the target in the end, but Kevin Friend blows for one of those dubious fouls on the keeper.

13 min: Suarez is clattered clumsily by Muntari in between the touchline and the box. Liverpool free kick, with Andy Carroll suddenly looking very frightening in the Sunderland box. Although his tactic of bunching up close behind Skrtel ruins the effect somewhat.

11 min: Agger is forced into an improvised clearance back towards Reina as Welbeck attempts to find a way past him. Reina clears in typically competent style.

9 min: Bardsley's cross is headed clear by Carragher. Sunderland are pinning Liverpool back but don't look particularly threatening.

7 min: Liverpool supporters sing an uncomplimentary song about the shape of Steve Bruce's head. Graeme Walker has sent me an email: "2-1 to Liverpool. This match is, I think, a tricky one for Liverpool. Sunderland are no mugs, and they can muster huge support."

5 min: Meireles corner is won well by Carroll at the far post. The ball drops for Kuyt inside the six yards box but Mignolet is quick to it, and concedes another corner. Kuyt heads over and an extremely chatty Kevin Phillips reads his mind to tell us that "he'll be disappointed with that".

3 min: Muntari slots the ball towards Wellbeck, who's tackled by Carraggher. Had Wellbeck let it run Gyan was unmarked.

1 min: Sunderland start the game on the impeccably patterned Stadium of Light pitch. Top work, Sunderland ground staff.

13:29: The teams are out and we're moments away.

13:27: Kevin Phillips joins Rob Hawthorne in the commentary gantry. That should be... interesting.

13:25: Kenny Dalglish exudes such earnest authority these days, I'm slightly frightened by him. On Carroll and Suarez playing together up front together for the first time Dalglish says "Everyone's excited about it." Yes Kenny. Yes we are. (Please don't hurt me)

13:20: Here are the teams:

Sunderland: Mignolet, Ferdinand, Bramble, Mensah, Bardsley, Sessegnon, Henderson, Muntari, Richardson, Welbeck, Gyan.
Subs: Gordon, Zenden, Malbranque, Elmohamady, Cattermole, Colback, Onuoha.

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger, Kuyt, Meireles, Lucas, Spearing, Carroll, Suarez.
Subs: Gulacsi, Cole, Kyrgiakos, Maxi, Ngog, Poulsen, Wilson.

Referee Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)

13:10: Sky's Geoff Shreeves is on a walk with Steve Bruce and his dogs. I assume this isn't live footage. "I notice you're not using a lead," Shreeves smirks. "Is that because you're not very good at holding on to one?" Bruce stares at Shreeves, headbutts him on the nose, and sets his dogs on him. He doesn't really. His real reaction is far less interesting.

13:00: In this fixture last season something tremendously amusing happened involving a Liverpool-branded holiday fun item which has no place at a football match. You'd get very long odds indeed on another beachball-based calamity this season, although Sunderland fans will be alert to the ease of smuggling a deflated inflatable inside a bag.

Sunderland didn't immediately suffer the calamitous dip in form expected when they cashed in on Darren Bent, but they're surely feeling his absence now, having picked up a sole point in their last five games. Liverpool slept out of the Europa League this week, so it's all hands to the pump in the battle for sixth place in the Premier League.

Let's hope for jollity, tactics, sportsmanship and a goal carnival.

Or at least one supplementary ball finding its way onto the pitch.

Teams to follow, stay tuned.

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Sunday, March 20

Sunderland v Liverpool
Stadium Of Light
Kick-off: 13.30
TV: Sky SP1, Highlights BBC2 MotD2

Betting: Home 8-5 Away 6-4 Draw 2-1

Sunderland (Possible, 4-1-4-1): Mignolet; Ferdinand, Mensah, Bramble, Bardsley; Muntari; Sessegnon, Henderson, Richardson, Malbranque; Gyan.
Liverpool (4-4-2): Reina; Johnson, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Carragher; Meireles, Poulse, Lucas, Maxi; Suarez, Kuyt.
Referee: Kevin Friend (Matches 13 R2 Y37).

Tale of the game

Sunderland are in trouble. The 0-0 draw at Arsenal brought their first point in five games.

When the teams met in September at Anfield Darren Bent scored twice in between goals from Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard.

Gerrard is missing after the England midfielder was ruled out for a month with a groin problem.

Also absent from Kenny Dalglish’s side are Fabio Aurelio, Martin Kelly, Daniel Agger and Jonjo Shelvey.

Sunderland, meanwhile, miss former Liverpool winger Bolo Zenden along with Nedum Onuoha, Craig Gordon and David Meyler.

In the last four league games between Sunderland and Liverpool at the Stadium of Light, both teams have failed to score.

Darren Bent scored the only goal of the game last season but in the previous three games, Liverpool won all three without conceding.

Stat of the game: Sunderland have gone 259 minutes without a goal.

Betting tip: Liverpool in charge, so 3-1 to the Reds looks good at 25-1.
Telegraph.feedsportal.com