Liverpool edge nervy encounter over Sunderland

While Sunderland attempted to counter, time and again, Liverpool drove them back. It wasn’t long before Vito Mannone was genuinely alerted when Nathaniel Clyne unleashed a pile-driver from midway into his opponent’s half.

Minutes later, meanwhile, after Jermain Defoe had tested Simon Mignolet at the other end to cap a fine move, Coutinho kept Mannone on his toes with a close free-kick.

Fab Firmino

Firmino was one Red that grew into the game the longer it went on and arguably had the best chance of the half. While his constant interchanging with Coutinho and Lallana was pulling the Black Cats all over the place, he created enough space to terrifically test Mannone.

Taking a touch to set himself, his shot was almost Zinedine Zidane-esque as he dinked the ball to the far post across goal, for Mannone to tip onto the post, as it trickled agonisingly wide.

Brutal Benteke

Whatever Klopp said at half time worked wonders. Christian Benteke scored the fastest second half goal of the season after 22 seconds, with Coutinho finding Lallana, whose one-touch pinball pass found the striker who slid past the goalkeeper into the net.

From then on, it was a passable effort at end-to-end football as the Black Cats pressed for an equaliser, those both team’s finishing was far from spectacular.

Former Red Fabio Borini carved perhaps the best opening for the hosts, creating space in the area, before jinking, though could only fire straight at Mignolet.

In what was almost the last act of the match, Benteke went clear, one-on-one with the goalkeeper, though his finish was poor. Six points from the Reds’ last two matches and it may just set them up for a happy new year.

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