Liverpool’s turbulent title defence took another hit at Anfield on Wednesday night — and if not for a slice of late fortune involving Florian Wirtz, it could have been far worse.
Chemsdine Talbi’s deflected strike put Sunderland ahead, and the visitors looked set to leave Merseyside with all three points until Wirtz’s late effort ricocheted off Nordi Mukiele and crept into the far corner.
Earlier in the game, the German playmaker went agonisingly close to breaking his Liverpool duck, only for goalkeeper Robin Roefs to block his close-range attempt. The visitors nearly punished Liverpool soon after, with Trai Hume smashing a long-range thunderbolt off the woodwork — Alisson barely getting fingertips to it.
Liverpool themselves clipped the post just before the interval when Alexis Mac Allister rose to meet a cross, though Roefs looked prepared if it had landed inside the frame. Omar Alderete later grazed the outside of the post with a header that left Alisson scrambling.
But despite the warnings, it was Sunderland who struck first. Talbi had too much room on the edge of the box, and although his effort deflected off Virgil van Dijk’s back, the Reds could hardly complain.
The leveller came via an even bigger deflection — officially ruled a Mukiele own goal — but the Kop didn’t care. They roared for Wirtz as if the goal belonged to him.
Sunderland almost nicked it at the death when Wilson Isidor rounded Alisson, only for Federico Chiesa to race back and clear off the line with a desperate intervention.
Arne Slot made just one change from the win at West Ham, recalling Andy Robertson for Milos Kerkez. That also meant Mohamed Salah remained on the bench for the second straight match — just days before he leaves for AFCON duty.
The opening exchanges lacked spark, aside from a long-range pop from Dominik Szoboszlai. Liverpool showed plenty of respect to the newly promoted side, wary of the threat of Brian Brobbey, who was making his first Premier League start.
Sunderland had opportunities even before their opener and arguably looked the more dangerous side. That late slice of luck denied them victory.
Here are the five big talking points from Anfield 👇
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1. Salah’s Return Delayed Again
For the second game running, Mohamed Salah was left out of the starting XI. Slot revealed after the West Ham match that Salah wasn’t pleased about being unused, but the boss once again stuck with his winning lineup.
The Egyptian was introduced at half-time to replace Cody Gakpo and immediately injected urgency with his pressing. Later, Hugo Ekitike was thrown on to increase the attacking threat, but both Gakpo and big-money signing Alexander Isak struggled to make an impact throughout the night.
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2. Wirtz Scores… Or Does He?
Florian Wirtz is still waiting for his first official Premier League goal — though he came incredibly close to claiming it. He’ll surely focus on the point earned rather than personal milestones, but Liverpool’s reliance on moments from range (especially from Szoboszlai) is becoming increasingly clear.
The Hungarian midfielder tested Roefs twice from distance, including a powerful strike just before half-time. With two £100m talents in the starting XI and Salah coming off the bench, Liverpool should have offered far more firepower.
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3. Joe Gomez Reaches a Milestone
Joe Gomez made his 250th appearance for Liverpool — a reminder of just how long he has been at the club despite his injury setbacks. Only twice in 10 seasons has he managed more than 40 games in a campaign.
Starting at right-back, Gomez was sharp early on with a dangerous ball into the box. But he later picked up a yellow card for a late challenge on Reinildo, adding unnecessary pressure on a tense evening.
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4. AFCON Could Hit Sunderland Hard
Sunderland are expected to lose more players to the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations than any other Premier League club — and their performance at Anfield showed how costly that may be.
Noah Sadiki ran the midfield with energy and composure, while Reinildo and goalscorer Talbi combined brilliantly on the left flank. Both, however, are set to join up with their national teams soon. Centre-back Omar Alderete also emerged as an unlikely attacking outlet.
January reinforcements are almost certain to be needed.
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5. Liverpool’s Problems Persist
The victory at West Ham offered hope, but Wednesday’s display was a reminder that Liverpool still look far from convincing. Previous Liverpool teams would have shifted into a higher gear after the break. Instead, Sunderland grew in confidence with every passing minute.
Talbi’s opener felt inevitable, and the 1-1 scoreline ultimately flattered the home side. The deeper concern? The performance — not the result — suggested that this Liverpool team still has major issues to solve.
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