Wirtz inspires, Chiesa rescues as Liverpool escape with a draw against fearless Sunderland
On a freezing night at Anfield, Liverpool needed a heavy deflection and a desperate clearance on their own goal line simply to escape with a 1-1 draw against the newly promoted Sunderland. Chemsdine Talbi’s deflected strike had the visitors on course for their first win here since 1983, only for Florian Wirtz’s late footwork to force Nordi Mukiele into an own goal before Federico Chiesa spared the champions from an even more damaging defeat in stoppage time.
For Arne Slot and his fading Premier League champions, it felt less like a point gained than another reminder of how far they have fallen. Sunderland, superbly drilled by Régis Le Bris and backed by a raucous away end, hit the woodwork twice, created the better chances, and finished with six shots on target to Liverpool's four. They left with only a point, yet showed why they sit sixth with 23 points, one place and one point above Liverpool in the table.
Sunderland seize the initiative on a bitter Merseyside evening